HPV DNA Testing

HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in Canada. HPV DNA testing, on the other hand, is not so common.

Many places do not offer it at all, because it is expensive. If HPV is found in a young person, most infections are cured by the body’s immune system within two years, without causing any health problems. Even if you have seen a doctor to test for all of the sexually transmitted infections out there, unless you’ve asked for the HPV DNA test, you haven’t been tested for HPV.

In Canada, the test is only used in special cases, like when a woman over 30 has an abnormal result on her Pap test. Doctors use the HPV DNA test to find high risk types of the virus. High risk types of HPV are precancerous, meaning that there is a very small chance they could progress to cancer later in life if they are not found and treated early. But then again, most types of HPV cause no symptoms and clear up on their own, so if you’ve had any skin-to-skin contact below the belt with an infected person you could have an infection and never know it. There are over 100 different types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) and most people will be infected at some point.

How the HPV DNA test works

To perform the HPV DNA test the doctor takes cells from the woman’s genital area, just like during a Pap test, (learn more about Pap testing). Then the cells are taken to a lab. All you have to do is make a follow-up appointment to get your results. The test is about 95 per cent accurate at finding high risk types of HPV.

I had a Pap test and the result was inconclusive—do I need an HPV test?

It is very common for Pap test results to come back inconclusive. This does not mean you need an HPV test.  Inconclusive results could be caused by many things, like having sexual intercourse or using tampons the day before your Pap test.  Usually the doctor will ask you to come in and take another test.

Women who are sexually active should have their first Pap tests within three years of becoming sexually active or by age 21, and should continue to be tested regularly.

Understanding HPV DNA Test Results

When HPV DNA test results say that you are positive for HPV, there is no need to panic. The doctor will follow-up with you on the next step, and may want to perform further testing.
HPV DNA testing can produce false positive results. That means the test can mistakenly find low-risk HPV infections that don’t need to be treated.

Coping with HPV test results

The vast majority of HPV infections clear up by themselves. If your test results come back HPV positive, know that you are not alone. Up to 75 per cent of sexually active men and women have it at some point in their lives. It’s very common to feel ashamed, overwhelmed and afraid.  But HPV is nothing to be ashamed of. Anybody who is sexually active is at risk.

The chances that HPV develops into cervical cancer are extremely small, especially if you have regular Pap tests.  Early detection of abnormal cell changes is the most important step in preventing cervical cancer.  Talk your options over with your doctor.  Ask as many questions as you want.  Your doctor may want to give the infection a chance to clear up and test you again in a few months, or run other tests.

Talk to your friends and members of your family who you trust.  Some may not understand the virus which is why it’s so important for you to understand it.  By educating yourself you can educate others.  You never know—someone in your life may just be going through the same thing.