Can men get HPV?

In men, high-risk HPVs don't cause symptoms and are often very difficult to diagnose. In this situation, the most common are the genital warts that usually appear on the penis, on the scrotum, in or around the anus, or on the groin. For men, HPV infection — including those that can cause cellular changes — produce no symptoms, so diagnosing HPV in men is difficult. The diagnosis of HPV in men is made from the presence of external genital warts.

Since there is no treatment for HPV that does not produce symptoms, most men with the infection are not treated. Sometimes, a health care provider can see small warts that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. In general, HPV infection does not place a man at a significantly higher risk for health problems. However, HPV prevention is still important for men, as the virus has been linked to uncommon cancers such as penile, anal, and head and neck.

Some people who are known to be at a high risk of having anal HPV and of developing anal cancer may be offered an anal smear. Men who have anal sex are more likely to have anal HPV and are at an increased risk of developing anal cancer. The risk for men and women with HIV is greater still, regardless of their sexual orientation.

The anal smear is very similar to a cervical smear, and involves collecting cells from the anal area using a special wipe. An HPV DNA test can also sometimes be done during an anal smear. However, anal smears are not widely available. If you are in a high-risk group and more likely to have anal HPV, you can talk to your doctor about whether you should have regular anal smears.

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