A clinic in London, the Freedom Health Clinic, known for its attention to the health of the British capital’s large gay community, can no longer keep up with requests for vaccination against the virus’ s HPV when, in early January, has decided to offer a service specifically to the male population.

“We have launched this initiative because the rate of anal cancers in men (and women) who practice anal sex is equal to that of carcinomas of the cervix, or about 36 cases per 100 thousand,” says Sean Cominings, in charge of disease transmission Sexual hospital in London. Vaccination is a total load of patients, at an estimated cost of about 650 Euros, as the UK’s National Health Service does not consider it yet scientifically validated.

Abound for ad hoc studies and even epidemiological data on prevalence of infection in gays are of poor quality. “HPV causes in men, including cancers of the penis, with a frequency much lower than anal receptive to the different action of the epidermis of the virus,” continues Coming.

It shown that the virus, to unfold its full power oncogenic, acts on areas of metaplasia of the mucosa. The skin of the penis, however, is much less sensitive to the action of any inflammation and thus provides a less fertile substrate for the development of tumors.

What is certain is that the knowledge on the prevalence of infection among men in general are less precise than those available for women, and this influence can also take sensible decisions on a possible vaccine campaign “to the masculine.” cancer of the anus is positive for the ‘HPV in 90% of cases in women, in 58% of cases in heterosexual males and in 100% of cases in male homosexuals, says Jeffrey M. Partridge, an epidemiologist at the ‘University of Washington in Seattle, author of a review on the issue of HPV in men recently published by the Lancet Infectious Diseases.

“Although not of great quality, some studies show that the American university in the population prevalence of infection is similar between males and females, or approximately one student in four. In light of this reality, and considering that the males are a reservoir of infection for her companions, the American Cancer Society, in guidelines on the HPV vaccines published recently examined the possibility of extending coverage to men.

“However, no evidence of efficacy of vaccination on the males, only vaccine Merck has been tested on a group of kids from 9 to 15 years and the results of the study will be available later this year,” continues Partridge. If the effectiveness of prophylactic measure will be confirmed, according to the ACS may consider the possibility of an extension to males with a threefold goal: prevention of genital warts, reduction of cancer of the penis, anus and head and neck (too ‘They HPV in two cases out of 10).

The mathematical models show, however, that the extension of vaccination of men would bring very little benefit to the population of women in countries such as Italy, provide good coverage of women and could be useful in countries that rely only on vaccination voluntary. “There are other measures that can help contain the infection, such as male circumcision,” Partridge concludes. “In countries where it is practiced since childhood, as in Israel, the rate of penile cancer is almost zero and that of cervical cancer is much lower than in other countries”.