HPV Testing

What is HPV?

Human papillomavirus is a viral infection that is considered the most common sexually transmitted infection in the population. It is so prevalent that the majority of sexually active people will have a subtype or more of HPV at some point, even if they do not have many sexual partners. However, despite being common, some subtypes of HPV can carry post significant health risks to people of all genders.

For people with a cervix, high-risk subtypes of human papillomavirus can lead to cancers of the cervix, which is why screening for HPV is included with cervical smear screening, with special attention paid to the detection of high-risk subtypes.  HPV can also cause other cancers of the genitals, head, neck and throat.

For all people, some types of HPV cause genital warts contracted through sexual contact. Genital warts can be treated in a number of ways, including cryotherapy. However, HPV often does not show any symptoms and you can still contract it from an asymptomatic sexual partner.

According to research, the majority of HPV infections are cleared without intervention in healthy individuals with good immune systems. However, you can still transmit the virus during this time, which is why testing is important.

HPV in men

Men can also contract HPV. They also will show no symptoms, but some may develop genital warts. You will need to see a doctor or specialist sexual health nurse to diagnose genital warts. HPV can also cause some kinds of cancers in men, especially if they receive anal sex or have weakened immunity.