HPV
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. The CDC estimates more than 42 million Americans carry a type known to cause disease, and about 13 million more are infected each year.
There is no HPV test for most people
Every HPV test cleared in the United States is a cervical cancer screening test. There is no cleared HPV test for men, none for oral or anal specimens, and testing is not recommended for partners of someone with warts or for anyone under 25. If you have a cervix and are 25 or over, HPV screening is part of routine cervical screening arranged through your own provider — it is not a test to order after an exposure.
Why test for HPV?
When can I test?
HPV does not show up immediately after exposure.
What Is HPV?
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. More than 42 million Americans are infected with types known to cause disease, and about 13 million more become infected each year. HPV types are described as non-oncogenic, meaning wart-causing, or oncogenic, meaning cancer-causing. Most infections cause no symptoms and clear on their own.
HPV symptoms
HPV usually causes no symptoms whatsoever, and most infections clear on their own within a couple of years without ever being noticed. The low-risk types can cause genital warts — small flat or raised bumps, sometimes cauliflower-shaped, appearing weeks to months after exposure. The high-risk types, which are the ones that matter most, produce no symptoms at all; they can persist quietly and cause cell changes that lead to cervical, anal, penile, vaginal, vulvar or throat cancers years later. There is no approved HPV test for men, and no general HPV screening test. For women, cervical screening finds the cell changes rather than the virus itself, which is why keeping to the screening schedule matters more than watching for anything to appear.
How is HPV spread?
HPV spreads through intimate skin-to-skin contact. You can get it by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has the virus, even if they have no signs or symptoms at all. Because it passes by skin contact rather than fluids alone, condoms lower the risk without removing it. Nearly everyone who is not vaccinated will get HPV at some point.
How is HPV treated?
There is no treatment for the virus itself, and most infections clear without ever causing a problem. What is treated are the conditions HPV causes — genital warts, and the cell changes that can lead to cancer if a high-risk type persists. That is why screening and vaccination, rather than watching for symptoms, are how HPV is managed. The CDC recommends vaccination at ages 11 to 12, and it can start at age 9.
HPV, answered
Other infections
HPV often occurs alongside other STIs. Many panels screen for several at once.
HPV FAQs
Does HPV ever go away?
Yes, in most cases, the body’s immune system clears HPV naturally within two years. However, some strains can persist and may require monitoring, so regular check-ups are important.
Can I live normally with HPV?
Yes, you can live a normal, healthy life with HPV. Most HPV infections clear up on their own without causing any symptoms or health problems.
How to remove HPV virus from body?
There is currently no cure to completely remove the HPV virus from the body, but in most cases, the immune system clears the infection naturally over time.
What to do if HPV is positive?
If your HPV test is positive, it’s important to follow up with your healthcare provider for further evaluation, which may include additional testing or a Pap smear to check for any changes in your cervical cells.
Will I always be positive for HPV?
No, you won’t always test positive for HPV. In many cases, the body’s immune system clears the virus naturally within a couple of years.
