HPV/Genital Warts Health Center

HPV Symptoms and Tests

How Is HPV Infection Diagnosed? continued...

In the HPV test, a doctor takes a swab of cells from the cervix, just as for the Pap test. The cells are then analyzed in a laboratory. The test can identify 13 or 14 of the high-risk HPV types associated with cervical cancer.

This test is rarely given routinely to women under 30 because so many younger women are exposed to HPV and their bodies typically clear the infection without treatment. The DNA test could cause unnecessary worry and concern. Some experts also believe that in younger women the cervix is more susceptible to the HPV virus and that as women get older the cervix may become less susceptible.

In men, as in women, genital warts reflect HPV infection. But no specific test for the strains of HPV that cause cancer is available at this time for men.

When Is the Best Time to Test?

Combining the Pap test with the HPV test is appropriate for women aged 30 and over, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

This test helps women and their doctors learn if a woman is at high risk or low risk for developing cervical cancer. If the HPV test is positive, the doctor can then decide if more testing is needed. One test that may be ordered next is a colposcopy, in which a special magnifying device is used to examine the cervix, vagina, and vulva.

If a woman is trying to get pregnant, there's no need to have the HPV test unless her doctor orders it based on an abnormal Pap test. During the first prenatal visit, a Pap smear is taken, and if the results are suspicious of HPV infection, the doctor can order the HPV test then.