• Efficacy of HPV Vaccination in Males: A Systematic Review
  • Reza Abouali,1,* Hamid Yazdaninejad,2 Hosein Bahrami Moqadam,3 Reza Khedri,4
    1. B.S student in medical laboratory science, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
    2. B.S Student in Anesthesiology, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
    3. Medical Student, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
    4. Medical Student, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran


  • Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most prevalent, sexually transmitted infection. The skin and mucosa of the anogenital tract, oral cavity, oropharynx, and larynx are frequently affected by this virus. Currently, it is recognized that in addition to the significant impression of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in females, HPV causes significant disease in men at the genitals and anal canal. Approximately 5.2% of all cancers are associated with HPV infection, and the incidence of diseases associated with HPV is comparable between men and women in economically developed countries. Randomized controlled trials demonstrate robust antibody response and high efficacy of HPV vaccination also in men. Several countries recommend the vaccination of both sexes. This review aims to discuss efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of vaccination against human papillomavirus in males.
  • Methods: Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, and Web of Science were searched with the keywords "Human papillomavirus" and "Efficacy". A comprehensive analysis of all levels-of-evidence was done from inception to August 2019.
  • Results: We identified 6426 articles and nine studies (six randomized controlled trials (RCTs), three nonrandomized studies). Vaccine effectiveness against at least 6-month persisting anogenital HPV infections was 58.2 % (95% confidence interval). No meaningful estimates were prepared on vaccine efficacy against penile intraepithelial neoplasia 3, and no data were identified for anal, penile, or head and neck squamous cell cancer. The risk of bias was low in four RCTs.
  • Conclusion: still available evidence on the efficacy of HPV vaccination in males is limited due to the small number of studies. Mathematical modeling education will still be needed to evaluate the effects of HPV vaccination programs in more detail, although the result showed high efficacy for reducing dysplasia.
  • Keywords: Human papillomavirus, Efficacy, Males