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Human papillomavirus (HPV) lasts longer in uncircumcised men

While uncircumcised men don't have a higher risk of acquiring HPV, it takes them longer to clear the virus from their bodies.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) lasts longer in uncircumcised men

While uncircumcised men don't have a higher risk of acquiring human papillomavirus (HPV), it takes them longer to clear the virus from their bodies.

Previous studies show that circumcised men are less likely than their uncircumcised peers to be infected with HPV. To determine if circumcision might influence a man's risk of acquiring HPV infection, as well as how readily he could clear the virus from his body, the researchers followed 357 men for an average of about 14 months. Every two months, the men, 290 of whom were circumcised, underwent HPV testing.

During the study, the researchers identified 536 different HPV infections, with no difference in risk between the circumcised and uncircumcised men. However, the researchers did find that HPV infections of the head, or glans, of the penis lasted 154 days, on average, in the uncircumcised men, compared to 91 days in the men who were circumcised. The increased duration was seen for all HPV strains.

Because HPV causes genital warts and certain cancers, the above findings could help explain why uncircumcised men have a higher risk of such penile cancers. The findings also indicate that circumcision may protect against HPV-associated disease by enhancing the resolution of infection.
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