HPV Test (Human Papilloma Virus)

HPVs are very common viruses that affect the skin and some mucous of the body. The most frequently affected site is the cervix, for the reason that it is the most receptive. The HPV test improves cervical cancer screening and provides physicians an effective tool to identify women at risk to have cervical cancer, even before the changes at the cellular level. Studies have shown that HPV testing is more accurate than Pap tests to detect such changes.

As the Pap test, cells are scraped from the cervix, collected in a liquid and analyzed in a laboratory to examine the genes (DNA) of HPV virus at the molecular level. If the HPV test confirms the presence of the virus, another lab test is performed to identify which of the 37 genotypes, from low to high level of risk, is present.

HPV testing is not recommended for women under 30, for the reason that HPV infection is very common among young women and mostly disappears without causing any health problems. However, these women should continue to have Pap tests.
In women over 30 years, HPV testing is recommended when results from a Pap test are inconclusive. In women whose Pap test result is inconclusive, HPV test is a better alternative than waiting six months to repeat it. This allows women to know if they need further investigation (colposcopy), and to ensure that those who need this examination should have it in a respectable delay.