Tests for detecting genital warts and HPV
HPV is one of the most common STDs that are caused by a virus. HPV can occur in several different forms and might be either high risk or low risk depending on the type of HPV. HPV is known to most commonly cause genital warts in both men and women and in some cases it can even cause cervical cancer.
Genital warts in most cases are not visible to the naked eye which makes it very difficult to detect it and diagnose it. Once the HPV is transmitted through sexual contact with an infected person it might take months and even years in some cases for the first symptoms to develop. HPV is still not curable, although genital warts treatment is possible with the help of a few prescription medicines as well as surgery.
Usually genital warts can be diagnosed through examination if they are visible. In cases where the genital warts are not visible the doctor might look into the below mentioned possibilities:
• The most common thing a doctor might want to know is if you have exposed yourself to HPV or any other type of STD recently.
• If you have indulged in unprotected sex or have had multiple sex partners.
• If you have had any sort of physical contact with a person with HPV infection.
• If you have had any history of STDs in the past.
• If you have ever had an abnormal pap test in cases of women.
Depending on the answers to these questions the doctor might recommend a few tests to diagnose if you have herpes, any other type of STDs or genital warts due to HPV. The tests required for men and women are different.
For women the below mentioned tests would be usually recommended by the doctor:
• To begin with most doctors would recommend a gynecology examination for women.
• A pap test is essential in order to detect HPV. A pap test would the cervix for abnormal cells. A pap test can detect HPV even when there are no visible genital warts or any other types of symptoms.
• There is also a special HPV test that might be recommended to women if they get an abnormal pap test. For women who are over 30 the HPV test can be done along with the Pap test.
In men the diagnosis and the tests are slightly different in nature. The below mentioned tests and exams are most commonly used to detect genital warts and HPV in men:
• Men are usually recommended to go for a thorough physical examination to detect genital warts.
• Although there is no formal test for detecting HPV in men, most doctors would check for the medical history and sexual habits of men in order to detect the possible existence of the infection.
• In men indulging in anal sex frequently the doctor might recommend an anal Pap test. Especially in cases where the men are known to have HIV or any other types of STDs the anal Pap test becomes quite necessary.