Human papillomavirus prevalence and genotypic characteristics among men in Wuhan, China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection represents a major public health concern in both women and men, contributing to a substantial anogenital and oropharyngeal disease burden. Nevertheless, comprehensive data on the genotype-specific epidemiology of HPV in the male population in Wuhan, China, are lacking. This study was conducted to address this gap. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of 2,999 male subjects undergoing HPV testing at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University (January 2017 to July 2025) to analyze the prevalence and genotypic distribution of HPV. RESULTS: Among 2,999 males, overall HPV prevalence was 38.6%, predominantly low-risk single-type infections. The top five genotypes were HPV6, HPV11, HPV16, HPV52, and HPV59. Although 20-39 year-olds comprised the largest proportion of cases, peak prevalence occurred in youth (≤ 20y) and elderly (≥ 60y) groups (P < 0.001 for age difference). HPV6 was the most common genotype in every age stratum. CONCLUSION: In this group of males in Wuhan, HPV infection prevalence was relatively high and dominated by low-risk, single-type infections. Adolescents (≤ 20 years) and older men (≥ 60 years) are at highest risk. These findings support enhanced HPV education targeting youth and the elderly and broader promotion of HPV vaccination among males.