How Is HPV Infection Diagnosed?

How Is HPV Infection Diagnosed?
The appearance of genital warts is one way HPV infection is diagnosed. A doctor simply does a visual inspection. The HPV types associated with warts, however, are not generally the types associated with cancer.

Women infected with the type of HPV that can cause cancer may first be told their Pap test results are abnormal. Pap tests are the main way doctors find cervical cancer or precancerous changes in the cervix.

To find out for sure if the changes are related to HPV, a doctor may decide to perform a DNA test to detect the virus in women who have an abnormal Pap smear. This tells you and your doctor whether the HPV virus you have can cause cancer. Only certain strains of HPV cause cancer. Indeed, HPV 16 and 18 account for 70% of all cervical cancers. This DNA test is often done on women who have mild Pap test abnormalities. It may also be done as part of a routine Pap test to women over age 30.

HPV Symptoms

The HPV virus lives in mucous membranes, such as those in the genital area, or on the skin. If genital warts show up, it's an indication of HPV infection. Genital warts take on many different appearances. They can be raised, flat, pink, or flesh-colored. They can even be shaped like cauliflower. Sometimes there is a single wart; other times multiple warts appear. They can be small or large. They can be on the anus, cervix, scrotum, groin, thigh, or penis.
Genital warts can show up weeks or even months after sexual contact with a person infected with HPV virus. That person may not know he or she is infected and is responsible for HPV transmission.
Some types of genital HPV infection are associated with cancer, including cervical cancer and cancer of the vulva, anus, or penis. If infection occurs with one of these virus types, precancerous changes can occur in cells in the tissue without causing any symptoms.

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