Signs and Symptoms of HPV, Testing and Diagnosis

How do you know if you have HPV?

Most people who get the HPV virus don't have any signs or symptoms. And, most people will never know they have been infected by the HPV virus.

One thing you can do if you have become sexually active, or are thinking about becoming sexually active - talk to your parents, or see your doctor or your school nurse. They have information on contraception, on the HPV virus and other sexually transmitted infections, on the vaccination to protect against the HPV virus.

There is an HPV test that can detect high-risk HPV strains in DNA from the body’s cells. But it is not included in the regular sexually transmitted infection testing because it is not widely accessible and many parts of Canada don't have it. The test is usually only used on girls and women when a doctor recommends it, and that is rare.

Young girls should have a Pap test within three years of becoming sexually active. The Pap test is an examination of a woman's internal genital organs to detect abnormal cells in the cervix.

If you want more information on what to expect when having a Pap test, click here.

Why Pap tests are important

The Pap test is an examination of a woman's internal genital organs to detect abnormal cells in the cervix. The Pap test is the only way to detect abnormal cells in your cervix that could potentially maybe develop into cervical cancer later in life. A girl should have her first Pap test within three years of becoming sexually active.