Risk of Parkinson’s disease after human papillomavirus infection: a nationwide cohort study

1. In this cohort, Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection was associated with increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD), specifically in men.

Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good) 

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder causing motor and non-motor symptoms, leading to reduced quality of life and increased mortality. The disease is mainly driven by the loss of dopamine-producing neurons and by abnormal protein aggregates, and is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Viral infections such as hepatitis C and the Dengue virus have been shown to have a link with PD. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted DNA virus that affects epithelial tissues; however, its impact on PD is unknown. This study aimed to investigate whether individuals diagnosed with HPV have an increased risk of developing PD compared to those without HPV. The study population comprised 80,318 individuals with prior HPV infection, 322,952 individuals without HPV as the primary control group, and 80,318 individuals with a history of acute respiratory infections (ARI) as the second control group. After accounting for CCI scores, patients with HPV infection were 25% more likely to develop PD than those without HPV infection compared to the general control group (HR=1.25, 95% CI=1.13-1.39) and the ARI control group (HR=1.20, CI=1.04-1.38). When stratified by sex, men with HPV infection had a significantly higher risk of PD, while women did not. For men, the risk was 1.48 times higher than the non-HPV control group and 1.31 times higher than the ARI control group. Overall, this retrospective cohort study found a link between HPV infection and the development of PD in men, highlighting the importance of public awareness and monitoring vulnerable populations. 

Click here to read this study in BMC Medicine

Image: PD

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