Cunnilingus can be bad for men’s health. This practice of oral sex increases the risk of developing an HPV infection and therefore throat cancer. Or you have to get vaccinated!
Ah, the happy time when Colette Renard was “Suck the treat” without any ulterior motive, in his tube The Nights of a Lady. Doctors had not yet looked into the question … It is now done: researchers at John Hopkins University, in the United States, have undertaken to quantify the risk of infection by human papillomavirus (HPV) by depending on the practice of oral sex.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. There are over a hundred strains of the virus, which thrives on human skin and mucous membranes. Most strains do not cause any symptoms or benign skin manifestations (warts, warts). But a handful of them cause precancerous lesions that can develop into cancer – of the cervix, anus, oropharynx. This is called an oncogenic strain.
Cunnilingus and tobacco
Good news for these ladies: In the John Hopkins study, the prevalence of oncogenic HPV infections was not very high for them. Bad news for everyone: in men, on the other hand, this type of infection was much more common. And directly linked to their practice of oral sex.
“In men who did not smoke, oral infections with an oncogenic strain of HPV were rare,” summarizes Dr. Amber D’Souza, lead author. of the study, which would be reassuring. “In non-smoking men, this type of infection was also rare, as long as they had fewer than five oral sex partners. But beyond that, the risk of infection increased with the number of partners and smoking. “
Thus, men who had five or more partners had a 7% risk of being infected with an oncogenic strain. If they smoke, that risk even climbed to 15%. Fortunately, such an infection does not mean that you will develop cancer for sure. The authors estimate that even in this scenario (which affects 6% of men), only 1 in 10 men will develop oropharyngeal cancer in their lifetime.
Vaccination coverage at half mast
What to think twice before embarking on an expedition to Mount Venus? Without a doubt. But what also to bring water to the mill of those who would like to generalize the vaccination against HPV to boys. Because a vaccine exists, recommended for young girls at the beginning of their sexual life (risk of cervical cancer) and men who have sex with men up to 26 years old (anal cancer). Better still, it would also help to effectively protect people vaccinated against cancer of the oropharynx.
In France, the generalization to boys for the time being comes up against pragmatic considerations. Not only is the vaccine expensive, but the vaccination coverage rate among girls, although they are primarily concerned, peaks at a very low 20% due to the anti-vaccine movement and a rather timid investment by the public authorities. Over the past two years, coverage has started to pick up tentatively. We can bet that this study will have something to re-motivate everyone.
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