Do all strains of HPV cause abnormal Pap smears?

Abnormal Pap Smears are typically caused by strains of the Human Papilloma Virus, HPV. An abnormal pap smear result does not mean you have cervical cancer. High risk strains can cause more serious cellular changes. Typically, both high and low risk strains of HPV go away within 24 months.

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Do all HPV strains show up on Pap smear?

They only test for the strains of HPV that are associated with cervical cancer; a positive result indicates that one or more of these strains were found. Sometimes, the lab will specifically report if you have either of the two highest-risk HPV types, known as HPV 16 and HPV 18.

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Do all HPV strains cause abnormal cells?

HPV is thought to be the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world. Almost every person will have HPV at some point in their lives. There are over 150 types of HPV that live on the body and only a small number of types (ie. high-risk HPV) cause problems by changing cells from normal to abnormal.

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Does HPV always cause abnormal Pap smears?

Some women for whom we test for HPV will have a normal pap smear, but have a positive high risk HPV result. This is particularly confusing because they may have never had an abnormal pap smear, and they may never even develop one.

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Can you have HPV but no abnormal cells?

Early infections or resolving infections with HPV may not reveal any cellular abnormalities. The most common reason for a negative Pap test with a positive HPV result is that the patient has an HPV infection, but the infection is not causing any cellular abnormalities.

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Abnormal Pap Smear: What Does It Mean?

23 related questions found

How long does it take for HPV to cause abnormal cells?

HPV-related cancers often take years to develop after getting an HPV infection. Cervical cancer usually develops over 10 or more years. There can be a long interval between being infected with HPV, the development of abnormal cells on the cervix and the development of cervical cancer.

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How do you know what type of HPV you have?

HPV testing can be performed for women with a Pap test (commonly known as a Pap smear), which is a screening test for cervical cancer. HPV testing is only available for women, and it can determine if HPV is present. If present, the test can determine whether the HPV is a low- or a high-risk type.

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Can an abnormal Pap smear be nothing?

Most women will have at least one abnormal Pap smear result in their lifetime, with an overall average of 5% of all Pap tests coming back as “abnormal.” In most cases, the abnormal result is nothing to worry about, but it's important to follow up to make sure.

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How long can you have HPV before it shows up on a Pap smear?

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.

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Why is my Pap smear abnormal but no HPV?

Other things can cause cells to look abnormal, including irritation, some infections (such as a yeast infection), growths (such as polyps in the uterus), and changes in hormones that occur during pregnancy or menopause. Although these things may make cervical cells look abnormal, they are not related to cancer.

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Are all strains of HPV permanent?

In most cases (9 out of 10), HPV goes away on its own within two years without health problems. But when HPV does not go away, it can cause health problems like genital warts and cancer.

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What strain of HPV is persistent?

HPV 16, HPV 58, and HPV 31, all from species group alpha 9, were the most persistent types; however, other high-risk HPV types that are detected rarely in cancer cases were also likely to persist.

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What strains of HPV are low risk?

Based on their association with cervical cancer and precursor lesions, HPVs can also be grouped to high-risk and low-risk HPV types. Low-risk HPV types include types 6, 11, 42, 43, and 44. High-risk HPV types include types 16, 18, 31, 33, 34, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, and 70.

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What kind of HPV causes abnormal Pap smear?

WHAT CAUSES AN ABNORMAL PAP SMEAR RESULT? HPV, Human Papiloma Virus, causes abnormal Pap smear results because HPV is a virus which infects skin cells. When subclinical HPV infects the skin cells in the cervix (skin cells on the cervix are called squamous cells), it causes the cells to change and become abnormal.

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What type of HPV is detected on Pap smear?

It tests for a virus called high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) that can cause cervical cell changes to develop into cervical cancer.

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Can you test positive for multiple strains of HPV?

Multiple HPV infections were common. Multiple HPV types were most prevalent in LSIL (75.9% of HPV positives), followed by HSIL (65.5%), ASCUS (64.6%), and negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM) (36.8%). On average, 3.2 and 2.5 HPV types were detected per LSIL and HSIL sample, respectively.

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How often should you get a Pap smear if you have high risk HPV?

Based on the 5-year risks of cervical precancer, the researchers determined that HPV-positive women with a negative dual-stain result can safely wait 3 years before being screened again.

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Can you have HPV for years before testing positive?

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).

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How often should you have a smear test if you have HPV?

You'll be invited for screening in 1 year and again in 2 years if you still have HPV. If you still have HPV after 3 years, you may need to have a colposcopy.

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What is the most common reason for an abnormal Pap smear?

In most cases, an abnormal Pap test is a result of: A human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. A sexually transmitted infection (STI or STD), such as herpes or trichomoniasis. A bacterial or yeast infection.

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Should I be scared of an abnormal Pap?

There's no need to panic

When you hear that your Pap smear results were abnormal, you might feel some anxiety. Although worry is a common and normal reaction, it's important to know that your test results merely showed that you have an infection or unusual cells known as dysplasia. None of this means you have cancer.

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How common are abnormal Pap smears?

About 5% of all Pap tests will be abnormal, meaning that the sample contains atypical cervical cells. However, the majority of these cells are not cancerous or even precancerous. An abnormal Pap test result does not mean cancer, but it does require follow-up to rule out the possibility of cancer.

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Does HPV positive mean I have HPV?

A positive HPV test means you do have an HPV type that may be linked to cervical cancer. This does not mean you have cervical cancer now. But it could be a warning. The specific HPV type may be identified to determine the next step.

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How do I know if my body clear HPV?

Most strains of HPV go away permanently without treatment. Because of this, it isn't uncommon to contract and clear the virus completely without ever knowing that you had it. HPV doesn't always cause symptoms, so the only way to be sure of your status is through regular testing. HPV screening for men isn't available.

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What does active HPV look like?

Signs of HPV

The most common are small, hard sores called warts, but not everyone who has HPV gets them. They may be raised, flat, or shaped like a cauliflower, and they can be different sizes. They can show up on your genital area or other places, depending on the type of the virus you have.

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