Practising safe sex by using condoms can help prevent genital HPV infection. However, as condoms do not cover all of your genital area, and are usually put on after sexual contact has begun, the HPV infection can still be passed on. If you’ve been treated for genital warts, you should use a condom for three to six months after your treatment finishes. This will help to stop you and your partner being re-infected.

What is Human papilloma virus (HPV)?

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the name of a group of viruses that affect your skin and the moist membranes that line your body, e.g. in your cervix, anus, mouth and throat. There are more than 100 types of HPV. Around 40 types of HPV infection can affect the genital area.

What does HPV infection do to the body?

Infection with some types of HPV can cause:

1. abnormal tissue growth and other changes to cells, which can lead to cervical cancer, and
2. genital warts, which are the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK.

Other types of HPV infection can cause minor problems, such as common skin warts and verrucas.

Is there a vaccination against HPV?

Since September 2008, a national programme of HPV vaccination has been in place for girls who are 12 and 13 years of age. The HPV vaccine is also being offered to 13 to 18-year-old girls, through a three-year catch-up programme. The HPV vaccination programme is being delivered largely through secondary schools and involves three injections that are given over a six-month period. HPV vaccination may also be available at private health and medical clinics, where a fee will be charged. The vaccination does not replace the need for regular cervical smear tests in women who are between 25 and 65.

Is testing available for genital HPV infection?

In women, human papilloma virus (HPV) infection of the cervix is sometimes diagnosed through a cervical screening test. Some women may be offered an HPV test after they receive their cervical screening test result.

In men, there’s currently no reliable test to detect HPV infection and it’s often very difficult to diagnose.

If your cervical screening test shows changes in the cells of your cervix, the results may be reported as dyskaryosis (cell changes or abnormal cells). For example, the test result letter may talk about:

• borderline cell changes (minor changes to cells that may be caused by infection or by cells repairing themselves),
• mild cell changes (mild dyskaryosis),
• moderate cell changes (moderate dyskaryosis), or
• severe cell changes (severe dyskaryosis).

If your cervical screening test result shows borderline changes or mild dyskaryosis, you’ll be offered a test for high-risk HPV infection. Only 15-20% of women with borderline or mild cell changes will have a significant abnormality that needs treatment. The HPV test therefore helps to identify which women may need treatment.

If your HPV test result shows you have high-risk HPV infection, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll go on to develop cancer. It simply means that your risk of developing cancer is greater than if the test result was negative.

If your test result indicates borderline or mild changes, or mild dyskaryosis, and there’s no evidence of high-risk HPV infection, you’re very unlikely to develop cervical cancer. However, you’ll continue to be invited for routine cervical screening every three years.

What is colposcopy tests?

This is a way of looking closely at your cervix to see if you need any treatment. If your cervical screening test result shows that you have high risk HPV infection, you’ll be invited to go for a colposcopy test

If the colposcopy test shows precancerous cells, the test result may refer to CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia). For example:

• CIN 1: mild cell changes,
• CIN 2: moderate cell changes, or
• CIN 3: severe cell changes.

The three grades of CIN relate to the thickness of the affected skin covering your cervix.

If you need treatment, you’ll usually be seen in an outpatient clinic, which means that you won’t need to stay in hospital overnight.

Six months after your treatment, you’ll have another HPV test and cervical screening test. If these test results are normal and show no high risk HPV infection, you’ll continue to be invited for routine cervical screening every three years. If these test results are abnormal, you’ll be invited to have annual screening for 10 years.

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