HPV is a virus that is contracted by both men and women, so there is every possibility that a male may acquire HPV. As of now, there is no clinically approved medical test available for men to detect HPV. Normally a doctor can visually examine the penis and surrounding areas for genital warts that usually appear on the scrotum, anus, penis and thighs in men. Although men are not at a high risk compared to women, carcinogenic genital warts on the penis can lead to ‘squamous-cell’ cancer of the penis. It is also known that in most males, the HPV will disappear on its own without causing any health risk.
Males are susceptible to some 30 strains of the virus that can lead to the cancer of the anus or the penis. The risk is higher in sexually active homosexual males or those practicing bisexual sex, and those with AIDS /HIV. Overall, the high-risk cancer causing HPV is rarely present in males, and the low-risk HPV that causes warts is the most active.
While males contract HPV, there are no certified clinical procedures or means of diagnosing the genital warts, and most doctors rely on the visual check to confirm the presence. Sometimes, applications of vinegar help in raising the warts which otherwise may not be visible. Nevertheless, these tests are not fool-proof and even normal skin can give the appearance of a wart due to the stinging stimulation of vinegar. A doctor may recommend a pathological anal pap test as the risk of cancer may increase. The Pap test would be done on the tissue cells collected from the anal region of susceptible males who get HPV.
For males who get HPV, there are no confirmed and accepted forms of diagnosis and no prescribed treatment. In most cases, the doctors are compelled to treat the health problems arising from the cause instead of the infection itself; however, males who get HPV are not at all at the risk level as compared to females.
The Human Papilloma Virus or HPV is normally categorized by low- or high-risk, depending on the threat that it poses. The high-risk HPV is predominant in women and can lead to malignant cervical cancer. The high risk HPV is usually the outcome of high sexual activity involving multiple sex partners.
High-risk HPV can be the cause of genital warts that can lead to cervical cancer. The risk factor for cervical cancer is defined when the infection is a persistent high-risk HPV, that is, an infection that does not go away easily. Low-risk HPV may also cause genital warts, but it generally does not cause the cell changes that can lead to cervical cancer. Nevertheless, both categories will cause warts that are abnormal cellular changes in various parts of the body and will be categorized as small, benign and visible tumors.
Depending on the individual’s immune system, there is every possibility that a body’s strong defense system may prove a hurdle for the high-risk HPV. For the infected person, the early stage of high-risk HPV does indicate some precancerous cell changes in the cervix area known as ‘cervical dysplacia’, which are visible spots. If ignored or left untreated for a long time, they could turn out to be cells of the malignant kind.
Having high-risk HPV should not be automatically associated with having cervical cancer. In most cases, even the high-risk HPV types cause no health problems and go away on their own. In the long run, it is important for women not to ignore the signs and symptoms. With regular pap tests, the cervical cell changes can be easily detected and preventive treatment can be administered to prevent further development.
The low-risk and high-risk HPV are rarely associated with malignant lesions. Both types are known to cause abnormal cell changes on the cutaneous or mucosal membranes in the form of warts, and tend to grow on different parts of the body. The size of warts may vary, and most may not even be visible to the naked eye. Unfortunately, most HPV infected people are not aware for some time that they are the carriers of this virus.
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