Chandrika Johnson, Nosa Obanor, Amanda DeWeese
Although human papillomavirus (HPV) issues have focused primarily on females, it is important to give attention to males because the primary mode of transmission of the virus is through sexual intercourse. There is increasing evidence that HPV is causing serious diseases like penile, anal, head, and neck cancer among males. Studies have also shown that, generally, males have similar rates of HPV infection (0.29 to 0.39 per 1000 person-month) as females. The vaccine against HPV, Gardasil®, has been used in women since 2006. In 2009, the FDA approved Gardasil® for men. Although questions about the efficacy of HPV vaccination in males remain, it is important to understand what males know about HPV and their predisposition towards being vaccinated against the virus.
