Eric P F Chow1, Sepehr N Tabrizi2, Christopher K Fairley3, Rebecca Wigan4, Dorothy A Machalek5, David G Regan6, Jane S Hocking7, Suzanne M Garland8, Alyssa M Cornall9, Steph Atchison10, Catriona S Bradshaw11, Anna McNulty12, Louise Owen13, Lewis Marshall14, Darren B Russell15, John M Kaldor16, Marcus Y Chen17. 1. Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: eric.chow@monash.edu. 2. Department of Obstetrics Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. 3. Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: CFairley@mshc.org.au. 4. Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: RWigan@mshc.org.au. 5. Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Women's Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: dorothy.machalek@thewomens.org.au. 6. The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: Dregan@kirby.unsw.edu.au. 7. Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: j.hocking@unimelb.edu.au. 8. Department of Obstetrics Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Women's Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: Suzanne.Garland@thewomens.org.au. 9. Department of Obstetrics Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Women's Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: alyssa.cornall@mcri.edu.au. 10. Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Women's Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: steph.atchison@mcri.edu.au. 11. Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: catriona.bradshaw@monash.edu. 12. Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: Anna.McNulty@health.nsw.gov.au. 13. Statewide Sexual Health Service Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia. Electronic address: louise.owen@ths.tas.gov.au. 14. South Terrace Clinic, Fremantle Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Electronic address: Lewis.Marshall@health.wa.gov.au. 15. Cairns Sexual Health Service, Queensland Health, Cairns, North Queensland, Australia; College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: Darren.Russell@health.qld.gov.au. 16. The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: jkaldor@kirby.unsw.edu.au. 17. Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: mchen@mshc.org.au.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Australia introduced a school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program for females aged 12-13 years in 2007, with a three-year catch-up to age 26; and for boys aged 12-13 from 2013, with a two-year catch-up to age 15. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of penile HPV between teenage heterosexual males in cohorts eligible or non-eligible for the school-based male vaccination program. METHODS: Between 2014 and 2017, sexually active heterosexual males aged 17-19 were recruited from sexual health centres and community sources across Australia. Males provided a self-collected penile swab for 37 HPV genotypes using Roche Linear Array and completed a questionnaire. We calculated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) of HPV between males in two periods: 2014-2015 (preceding implementation of school-based male vaccination) and 2016-2017 (eligible for school-based male vaccination). Self-reported vaccine doses were confirmed with doses reported to the National HPV Vaccination Program Register. RESULTS: Overall, 152 males were recruited in 2014-2015 and 146 in 2016-2017. Numbers of female sex partners and condom use did not differ between the two periods. The prevalence of quadrivalent vaccine-preventable [4vHPV] genotypes (6/11/16/18) was low in both periods (2.6% [2014-15] versus 0.7% [2016-17]; p = 0.371; aPR 0.28 [95% CI: 0.03-2.62]). Compared with men in 2014-2015, men in 2016-2017 had a lower prevalence of any of the 37 HPV genotypes tested (21.7% versus 11.6%; aPR 0.62 [95% CI: 0.36-1.07]) and any of the 13 high-risk genotypes tested (15.8% versus 7.5%; aPR 0.59 [95% CI: 0.30-1.19]). Prevalence of low-risk HPV genotypes did not differ between the two periods. Of the males recruited in 2016-2017, 55% had received ≥1 vaccine dose. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of 4vHPV genotypes among teenage heterosexual males in both cohorts was low, presumably due to herd protection from the female-only vaccination program. Further studies are required to determine the impact of universal HPV vaccination on HPV prevalence in males.
BACKGROUND: Australia introduced a school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program for females aged 12-13 years in 2007, with a three-year catch-up to age 26; and for boys aged 12-13 from 2013, with a two-year catch-up to age 15. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of penile HPV between teenage heterosexual males in cohorts eligible or non-eligible for the school-based male vaccination program. METHODS: Between 2014 and 2017, sexually active heterosexual males aged 17-19 were recruited from sexual health centres and community sources across Australia. Males provided a self-collected penile swab for 37 HPV genotypes using Roche Linear Array and completed a questionnaire. We calculated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) of HPV between males in two periods: 2014-2015 (preceding implementation of school-based male vaccination) and 2016-2017 (eligible for school-based male vaccination). Self-reported vaccine doses were confirmed with doses reported to the National HPV Vaccination Program Register. RESULTS: Overall, 152 males were recruited in 2014-2015 and 146 in 2016-2017. Numbers of female sex partners and condom use did not differ between the two periods. The prevalence of quadrivalent vaccine-preventable [4vHPV] genotypes (6/11/16/18) was low in both periods (2.6% [2014-15] versus 0.7% [2016-17]; p = 0.371; aPR 0.28 [95% CI: 0.03-2.62]). Compared with men in 2014-2015, men in 2016-2017 had a lower prevalence of any of the 37 HPV genotypes tested (21.7% versus 11.6%; aPR 0.62 [95% CI: 0.36-1.07]) and any of the 13 high-risk genotypes tested (15.8% versus 7.5%; aPR 0.59 [95% CI: 0.30-1.19]). Prevalence of low-risk HPV genotypes did not differ between the two periods. Of the males recruited in 2016-2017, 55% had received ≥1 vaccine dose. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of 4vHPV genotypes among teenage heterosexual males in both cohorts was low, presumably due to herd protection from the female-only vaccination program. Further studies are required to determine the impact of universal HPV vaccination on HPV prevalence in males.
Authors: Eric P F Chow; Tiffany R Phillips; Henry Bowesman; Jason J Ong; Julien Tran; Ei T Aung; Marcus Y Chen; Christopher K Fairley Journal: Hum Vaccin Immunother Date: 2022-06-17 Impact factor: 4.526