Association between sexual mixing and genital warts in heterosexual men in Australia: the herd protection from the female human papillomavirus vaccination program

Abstract

Australian-born women aged ≤32 years were eligible for the free female human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program introduced in 2007. A total of 1165 heterosexual couples attending the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre between 2011 and 2014 were included in this analysis. Findings showed the odds of having penile warts was 0.52-fold lower among men who had a female partner aged ≤32 years compared with men who had a female partners aged >32 years. This suggests men would have received herd protection from their female partners and hence they are at lower risk of acquiring genital warts.