Sistema FMUSP-HC: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP) e Hospital das Clínicas da FMUSPCOMERLATO, JulianaKOPS, Natalia LuizaBESSEL, MarinaHORVATH, Jaqueline DriemeyerFERNANDES, Bruna VieiraVILLA, Luisa LinaSOUZA, Flavia Moreno Alves dePEREIRA, Gerson Fernando MendesWENDLAND, Eliana Marcia2020-12-162020-12-162020BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES, v.20, n.1, article ID 683, 8p, 2020https://observatorio.fm.usp.br/handle/OPI/38323Background External genital lesions (EGL) are the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We aimed to evaluate the prevalence, determinants and sex differences in EGL among young adults from Brazil. Methods Overall, 7694 participants (aged 16 to 25 years) underwent an interview, genital examination and sampling for HPV genotyping. Results The prevalence of EGL was 4.08% (234) and is more frequent in men (5.72%) than women (2.31%) (p < 0.001). Genital lesions were significantly associated with male sex, infection by high-risk and multiple HPV types, having more than two sexual partners in the last year, smoking status and the presence of other STI. While alcohol use was associated with a higher prevalence of EGL in women, same-sex sexual relationship increase the prevalence in men. In the EGL group, 67.79% (p = 0.032) were positive for HPV infection and the types HPV6 and HPV11 were the most prevalent ones. Conclusion The prevalence of EGL in young adults was consistently high, and most cases were associated with genital HPV infection and STIs. Although men have a higher prevalence, both sexes share most genital lesion determinants. The promotion of sexual education and vaccination especially focus in young men, who are usually outside the targets of primary health care programmes, can prevent EGL in Brazilian young adults.engopenAccessHuman papillomavirusGenital wartsHPVEpidemiologyPrevalence in young adultshuman-papillomavirusinfectionmengenotypeburdenwartsdiseasewomenarticleCopyright BMC10.1186/s12879-020-05376-xInfectious Diseases1471-2334