What are the reasons that no HPV diagnostic test is available for men?

The main problem is that on men, there needs to be a visible outbreak. There are tests for men who engage in receptive anal sex, as they can have something similar to the pap smear for women…but that’s the main technical issue.

In terms of the market, the link to cervical cancer for the high-risk HPV strains in women makes it much more urgent to determine a diagnoses for them. For men, the health concerns aren’t nearly as comparable.

Great Answer.

Why must there be a “visible outbreak”? What is the mechanism of detection?

Unfortunately – the best one is sores.

Sores are HSV, herpes. HPV is warts.

Men get anal cancer and tongue and mouth cancer like women do from HPV.

It would be great if men were routinely tested somehow, because it might help women. over 80% of women are exposed sometimes in their life to HPV from what I remember. The new vaccine helps with some of the worst strains of HPV that are linked to cancer (I think there are about 80 strains pf HPV? But, definitely check me on that. The vaccine works on a few of the strains).

GQ by the way.

@JLeslie – Technically right – but ugly still. ;-)

Good question. But I do know that young men in their teens can get the HPV shot just like young ladies, to stop the spread of HPV , because men are carriers. Both of my sons received the shot.

They do anal pap smears on males and females with history of anal intercourse to check for HPV. The process is identical to doing a vaginal pap smear on a female.

@Kayak8 I have never met a GYN who does it, and when I requested it, it seemed like I was asking for $20,000 to be given to me. I asked a gastro doctor once about it to, and she said they would not test the tissue unless they saw changes (naked eye) which is idiotic to me. And, what about my mouth? I think the medical community is completey incompetent about addressing the risks associated with HPV, except for cervical risks.