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Hpv testing
HPV testing could easily be labeled the new 8th wonder of the world. While there is a great deal of information on hpv testing where women and annual Pap tests are concerned, there is very little information available on the topic of hpv testing for the general population as a whole.
In the United States alone, HPV is considered the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD). Some studies have indicated the belief that the majority of the sexually active population is or will become exposed to at least one or more types of HPV. Although of those infected with HPV do not develop symptoms. Because of the fact that HPV is so common, a person doesn’t have to have a lot of sexual partners to come into contact with this virus. These statistics alone would indicate the real need for proper HPV testing.
There are over 100 types of genital HPV. Of these one hundred plus types, only a handful of these types of HPV are linked with cervical cancer and are called "high-risk" types. The types of HPV that cause external genital warts are not linked with cancer and are referred to as "low-risk" types. These wart-types of HPV are not usually found on a female's cervix, and therefore, are not going to carry any risk of cancer. HPV testing can only be obtained through Pap tests offered to females.
It is common for a person to be exposed and have more than one type of HPV, including several "high-risk" types. In spite of carrying these “high-risk” types, most women do not develop cervical cancer. In most cases cervical cancer will take years to develop. The majority of cases of cervical cancer are in women who have either never had a Pap smear, or have not had one in five years or more. Cervical cancer can be prevented if a female gets Pap smears at regular intervals. In most cases concerning men, men will not have any symptoms or health risks such as cancer with the "high-risk" types of HPV therefore the only true monitoring availability is to monitor the female's cervix.
Unfortunately there is no way offering of HPV testing for men at this time. If a woman is diagnosed with an ASCUS (Atypical Cells of Undefined Significance) test result from her Pap test, this could be an indication of an HPV infection. Oftentimes a physician will offer a treatment regimen to attempt to deplete the culprit of the abnormal Pap and perform a follow-up Pap to monitor the significance of the abnormal cells. In most cases the terminology and the thought of the poking and probing is far more stressful than the actual tests themselves.
Research has shown that HPV testing of men usually shows false negative results. This is because it is difficult to get a good cell sample to test from the thick skin on the penis. Most people will not have visible symptoms if they are exposed to HPV. Therefore, for most, the virus is sub-clinical (invisible). This is especially true for males. If a male has been exposed to the cell-changing types of HPV, he would most likely not have any symptoms. When there is a lack of HPV related symptoms in the cases of males, it is hard to test for it. Most of the time, men will not have any health risks such as cancer with the "high-risk" types of HPV.
Although HPV is one of the most common STD’s in society today, it still remains absent from standard std screening. It is a common medical community belief that HPV can and has been known to heal spontaneously without treatment and considering the fact that it is so common, why bother? It is believed that standardized HPV testing would change very little in the mortality rate of cervical cancer due to the fact that Pap smears seem to cover those bases.
When a woman receives an abnormal Pap test and the results indicate an HPV infection, it then becomes the burden of this particular woman’s partner as to whether or not they are the carrier or if this was perhaps an infection that lay dormant and went undetected for a long period of time. And there is no way to know the answer to this haunting question because there is no HPV test available for men.
HPV testing is different than a Pap test or biopsy. An HPV test checks directly for the genetic material (DNA) of HPV within cells, and can detect the types connected with cervical cancer. The test is done in a laboratory, usually with the same cell sample taken during the Pap test. The only commercially available test for HPV is called Hybrid Capture II, produced by Digene. It is most convenient if the HPV test is done in the laboratory from a cervical cell sample that was taken using a liquid-based Pap test.
Some health care provider’s recognize an HPV infection as being very common and in the cases of women who have regular Pap tests, HPV infections are of little concern since the abnormal cells will likely be detected, monitored and treated before cervical cancer has the ability to develop.
In spite of the fact that HPV testing is so limited, it is in your best interest to always discuss sexual history with your partner. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, it’s your health that is at stake. Visit your local STD clinic or physician to get tested for the various other STD’s together, keep in mind this does not include STD’s such as herpes, HPV or HIV for that matter. Ask your physician to explain to you exactly what it is you are being tested for. If the test lacks the end result you are ultimately seeking, ask! There is a wide range of tests available for most all STD’s. HPV testing however will not be among them.
