The best way to know if a person has HPV is through diagnostic tests that include warts, pap smears, peniscopy, hybrid capture, colposcopy or blood tests, which can be requested by the gynecologist, in the case of the woman, or a urologist, in the case of man.
When the test result for the HPV virus is positive, it means that the person has the virus, but does not necessarily have cancer or symptoms, and treatment may not be necessary. When the HPV test is negative, it means that the person is not infected with Human Papilloma Virus.
Tests for HPV in men
In the case of men, examinations must be performed and recommended by the urologist, being initially done by observing the male genital region, as the presence of HPV can result in warts or other lesions characteristic of the infection.
In addition to observation with the naked eye, the doctor can perform peniscopy, which is an examination in which the doctor uses a device similar to a magnifying glass, to look for small lesions on the penis that could be indicative of the presence of HPV. In case of suspicion, a small scraping of the place is made and the material is sent for analysis in the laboratory. Understand how the Peniscopy exam is done.
The tests for HPV in men are important for the proper treatment of the infection, reducing the risk of complications and the transmission of the disease.
HPV tests in women
The most requested exam for diagnosing the presence of the HPV virus in women is Pap smear, in which a cervical scraping is performed, with the aid of an instrument similar to a swab, and the material is sent to the laboratory for analysis. Despite being a fundamental test to assess women's health, Pap smears are not enough to diagnose cervical cancer, for example, nor to determine the subtypes of the HPV virus, requiring other tests, such as:
- Clinical examination, in which the gynecologist examines the woman's intimate region to identify any moles, lesions or changes possibly caused by the HPV virus; Hybrid capture, which is a molecular exam that consists of taking small samples from the walls of the vagina and the cervix, to analyze the presence of HPV DNA in the cell. This test helps to identify low- or high-risk HPV when there are changes in the pap smear. Learn more about Hybrid Capture. Colposcopy, which is also a preventive exam and consists of performing a biopsy of the cervical tissue that has a lesion seen through the colposcope. This examination is usually indicated when there is visualization of altered cells under the microscope; Blood tests, which can be useful to identify infections and the presence of viruses within cells. Usually before the HPV blood test, the doctor requests sexual abstinence for 3 days.
Examination for female HPV is important to start treating the disease and decrease the chances of cervical cancer. Find out how HPV treatment is done.
Watch the video below and see in a simple way what it is and how to treat this disease.
