HPV and HPV test facts everyone should know

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are usually transient and the body can get rid of them on its own. However, some infections caused by high-risk HPV types may last longer and cause cancers of the cervix, vagina, penis, or the back of the throat, says Dr. Ajit Nambiar, director & head, pathology and lab medicine, Karkinos Healthcare.

“When someone is exposed to HPV, the body mounts a response against the virus and throws it out of the system. The body’s immune response has memory, if the same type of virus comes back, it will be thrown out,” he says.

A group of more than a 100 related viruses, HPV is spread through skin-to-skin contact during vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who is infected. HPV infections are also very common, nearly everyone who is sexually active will get an HPV infection in their lifetime.

Dr. Nambiar spoke to Femoai about essential facts about HPV and HPV testing that everyone should know. Edited excerpts:

What is an HPV test and why do we need one?

HPV is one of the viruses with a propensity to cause cancer. If a virus can cause cancer, we need to detect it. That’s what an HPV test is for; it looks for high-risk HPV in the body.

There are hundreds of types of HPV viruses. These are categorised as low-risk and high-risk HPV types. Some low risk HPV types may cause genital warts but they rarely cause cancer. High-risk HPV types can cause cell changes that can become cancer over time. The intention behind the HPV test is to look for these high-risk HPV types.

There are about 13 different genotypes in the high-risk category, which are likely to cause cancer.  Two genotypes –  16 and 18 – are the most aggressive ones; they are behind most cases of cervical cancer.

Can long term sexual partners keep passing HPV back and forth?

The HPV virus is spread by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus. So, obviously it will be passed on between sexual partners. Couples may pass it on back and forth but they are likely to build immunity against it. HPV infection is usually transient; when someone is exposed to it, the body mounts a response against the virus and throws it out of the system. And because the body’s immune response has memory, if the same type of virus comes back, it will be thrown out. The immune system will remember the HPV type and it will keep a new infection of the same HPV type from recurring. With the same sexual partner, the immune system will take care of the virus and the body is not challenged as such.

However, there are more than a 100 strains of HPV and becoming immune to one HPV type may not protect someone from getting HPV again if they are exposed to another type. People can get different strains of HPV especially if they have multiple sexual partners.

Does having HPV mean my partner has been unfaithful?

If either of the partners in a relationship have HPV, it doesn’t necessarily mean that one of them has been unfaithful. When a person is sexually active, they will be exposed to HPV at some point in their life. Sometimes, HPV can remain dormant in our system for a long period of time. It is possible that your partner got it from a previous partner and it remained in the body. We have to understand that HPV is not a reflection on you, your character, or your values.

Can someone have an HPV infection if they have had cervical cancer?

Theoretically, it can happen. If someone has been infected with one kind of high risk HPV virus which caused cancer, they can be exposed to another high risk genotype, which their immune system can not take care of. However, it is rare. Usually, the immune system takes care of the infection. 

(According to the American College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians (ACOG), cervical cells can still be present on top of the vagina even if the cervix is removed during a hysterectomy. This means that women who have had cervical cancer should continue screening.)

Is there an HPV test for men?

Currently, there is no approved HPV test for men.

(There are anal Pap tests for men who may be at greater risk for anal cancer. If men have symptoms or concerns about cancer, they must visit their doctor.)

Genital cancers caused by HPV are more common in women than in men. In women, we know that HPV may cause cervical cancer and we also know that there is an area in the cervix — the transformation zone — where changes to cells can occur. It is in these cells that HPV is more likely to integrate and start cancer in the cervix.

If a woman tests positive for a high-risk HPV type, we can do a colposcopy (diagnostic procedure to examine the cervix, vagina and vulva for signs of disease), which gives us a magnified view of the cervix. If there is any pathology or sign of disease there, we know we have to treat it. We can also thermocoagulate (using heat to destroy the abnormal cells on the cervix; it can be used in treating cervical pre-cancer) that area. In these cases, we ask women to come back for a test after about three years and we can check if there have been any changes in the HPV status. In men, we cannot do any of this.

Most people with HPV are asymptomatic. In women, we know certain types of HPV may cause cervical cancer and if they test positive, we have a modality of action. In men, even if we find out that someone is positive, we cannot act in the same manner unless we actually see a lesion.

When can you not have an HPV test?

Women can start screening for HPV after the age of 30, the age recommendation is 25 years in some countries. The only time women should not have an HPV test is if they are pregnant, on their period, or have had an abortion recently.

What does a positive HPV test after many negatives mean?

You can test positive after many negative tests. A positive test could mean a new infection, it could be from a new sexual partner, or a reactivated old infection. An HPV infection can become active after remaining dormant in the body for years.

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Affiliate Disclaimer: We want to inform you that we have partnered with Karkinos Healthcare to bring you information and raise awareness about Cervical Cancer. Femoai Media will receive monetary compensation from Karkinos Healthcare if you decide to take the Karkinos CerviRaksha, Cobas HPV Test.

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