An HPV test result can be positive or negative. The HPV test and the Pap test are screening tests that can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early. The HPV test looks for the virus (human papillomavirusHPV can cause cervical and other cancers, including cancer of the vulva, vagina, penis, or anus. It can also cause cancer in the back of the throat (called oropharyngeal cancer). This can include the base of the tongue and tonsils. Cancer often takes years, even decades, to develop after a person gets HPV.https://www.cdc.gov › std › hpv › stdfact-hpv
A false-positive result could lead to unnecessary follow-up procedures, such as colposcopy or biopsy, and undue anxiety over the test results. False-negative. A false-negative test result means you really do have an HPV infection, but the test indicates that you don't.
Cytological smears have a substantial false-negative rate for predicting squamous intraepithelial lesions (13, 19, 40, 41). We previously reported that among low-risk women, 75% of those whose cervical biopsy specimens showed HPV-related lesions had negative cytological smears (45).
Sometimes, after several negative HPV tests, a woman may have a positive HPV test result. This is not necessarily a sign of a new HPV infection. Sometimes an HPV infection can become active again after many years. Some other viruses behave this way.
Most manufacturers of HPV tests claim their results are 99% accurate.
Negative. A negative HPV test means you do not have an HPV type that is linked to cervical cancer. Your doctor may tell you that you can wait five years for your next screening test.
A Pap test screens for cancer of the cervix (the passageway between the vagina and the uterus). A Pap test can also be used to screen for non-visible (subclinical) human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. The Pap test is not a specific test for HPV, although sometimes the results suggest that HPV might be present.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) blood tests and Pap smear tests are methods for detecting cervical cancer. Doctors may recommend a person has both tests to check for cervical cancer.
Anyone who has had sex can get HPV, even if it was only with only one person, but infections are more likely in people who have had many sex partners. Even if a person delays sexual activity until marriage, or only has one partner, they are still at risk of HPV infection if their partner has been exposed.
Q: How long after exposure does it usually take for something to be detectable? A: Changes consistent with HPV can usually be detected within 3-6 months after exposure to the infection.
By clearing the infection, I mean that it would be undetectable on a lab test, and thus clinically insignificant. Like most viruses, HPV is something a woman can contract years before she ever was to have a detectable level because it may never go away 100%.
False negative results
Your result may be negative even though there is a HPV infection or abnormal cells in the cervix. This is called a false negative. A false negative may mean that you are not sent for further tests. This could be a missed chance to stop cancer developing.
If you test negative for HPV, you are not likely to have cervical precancer, and you should have repeat HPV testing with or without a Pap test in three years. In most cases, the ASC-US will resolve during this time. Repeat Pap testing in one year – This is also an acceptable option.
HPV is a very common STI. Among 15- to 59-year-olds, 2 in 5 (40%) people will have HPV. There are many different types of HPV; most do not cause any health problems. HPV is a different virus than HIV or (HSV) herpes.
Whilst condoms may not fully protect your partner from HPV, they do protect both of you from other sexually transmitted infections. For couples in long-term monogamous relationships, condoms are probably of little value in preventing HPV infections as partners will inevitably share HPV.
Depending on the type of HPV that you have, the virus can linger in your body for years. In most cases, your body can produce antibodies against the virus and clear the virus within one to two years. Most strains of HPV go away permanently without treatment.
Your doctor might be able to diagnose HPV infection by looking at your warts. If genital warts aren't visible, you'll need one or more of the following tests: Vinegar (acetic acid) solution test. A vinegar solution applied to HPV -infected genital areas turns them white.
Testing for human papillomavirus (HPV)
There's no blood test for HPV. During cervical screening, a small sample of cells is taken from the cervix and tested for HPV. Screening is offered to all women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64. It helps protect them against cervical cancer.
If high-risk HPV is found, your sample will be looked at for cell changes. If there are no cell changes, you will be invited back for cervical screening in 1 year. This is to make sure the HPV has cleared. If high-risk HPV and cell changes are found, you will be invited for further tests at colposcopy.
If HPV is found, your same test sample is checked for abnormal cells. If abnormal cells are found, you will have a colposcopy and treatment. If HPV is not found, we do not need to check for abnormal cells. This is because your risk of developing cervical cancer is very low if you do not have HPV.
Most people with HPV do not know they have the infection. They never develop symptoms or health problems from it. Some people find out they have HPV when they get genital warts. Women may find out they have HPV when they get an abnormal Pap test result (during cervical cancer screening).
A person can have HPV for many years before it is detected. found on your HPV test does not cause genital warts. used all the time and the right way. Condoms may also lower your chances of getting other types of HPV or developing HPV-related diseases (genital warts and cervical cancer).
What causes an abnormal Pap test? Most abnormal Pap tests are caused by HPV infections. Other types of infection—such as those caused by bacteria, yeast, or protozoa (Trichomonas)—sometimes lead to minor changes on a Pap test called atypical squamous cells.
Don't panic.
In most cases, your body is able to fight HPV on its own, and the virus will go away without causing any health problems in one or two years.
Pap Results Are Often Inaccurate
Sometimes these false positive Paps can be explained by a recent vaginal infection, or trauma to the cervix due to douching, tampons, or intercourse; sometimes the false positives just represent an inherent limitation of the test.