Penile human papillomavirus infection and its associated risk factors in men who have sex with men in Kigali, Rwanda

Abstract

Background: HPV infection poses a significant health risk, particularly for men who have sex with men (MSM). In Rwanda, limited data exist on penile HPV prevalence and genotypes. This study assessed high- risk HPV (hrHPV) prevalence, identified circulating genotypes, and examined related risk factors in this population Methods: This cross-sectional study used 248 archived penile swab samples collected from Rwandan men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kigali. Molecular genotyping analysis used the AmpFire High- Risk HPV genotyping kit. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and logistic regression models to explore the association between hrHPV infection and participant age and HIV status. Results: HrHPV was detected in 94 of participants (37.9%). Among the detected genotypes, HPV-16 had the highest frequency, 10 participants (10.6%), with HPV-52, 8 participants (8.5%), and HPV-39, 6 participants (6.4%) following. The prevalence of high-risk HPV was notably elevated in individuals having HIV. However, no significant association was observed between age and hrHPV status. Conclusion: The high prevalence of hrHPV among Rwandan men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kigali, particularly those living with HIV, underscores the urgent need to extend HPV vaccination and screening services to this vulnerable group. Targeted public health interventions are essential to reduce the HPV-related disease burden in MSM populations.