What infections can be detected in a Pap smear?

What infections can be detected in a Pap smear?

A Pap test can detect certain viral infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV), which is known to cause cervical cancer. Early treatment of precancerous changes (cervical dysplasia) detected on the Pap smear can stop cervical cancer before it fully develops.

Do they check for HIV at the gynecologist?

You can get an HIV test from your obstetrician–gynecologist (ob-gyn) or other health care professional. You also can get an HIV test at special HIV clinics.

What STD does Pap smear test for?

A Pap smear only tests for signs of HPV, and not for other STDs or their effects. There are many reasons to get tested for STDs, but an STD test is not automatically included as part of a well woman exam; you may need to request it at your appointment.

What does a positive Pap smear mean?

If the results of your Pap test come back positive, that means your doctor found abnormal or unusual cells on your cervix. It doesn't mean you have cervical cancer. Most often, the abnormal test result means there have been cell changes caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV).

How common is the HPV virus?

Approximately 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV, with roughly 14 million people becoming newly infected each year. Most men and women — about 80 percent of sexually active people — are infected with HPV at some point in their lives, but most people never know they have the virus.

Can HSV be detected in a Pap smear?

They aren't there intermittently, and so the “silver pap” that includes only gonorrhea and chlamydia is legitimate. But in order to test for herpes, an antibody test needs to be done, not a swab test (PCR or culture) and certainly not a pap.

Can HPV be detected by a Pap smear?

The HPV test checks cells for infection with high-risk HPV types. The Pap test (also called a Pap smear or cervical cytology) collects cervical cells and looks at them for changes caused by HPV that may—if left untreated—turn into cervical cancer. It can also detect cervical cancer cells.

What happens if my HPV test is positive?

Positive HPV test. A positive test result means that you have a type of high-risk HPV that's linked to cervical cancer. It doesn't mean that you have cervical cancer now, but it's a warning sign that cervical cancer could develop in the future.

Can you have a false positive Pap smear?

False-positive results of Pap smears may sometimes occur. Recent research and new technology have led to more accurate tests, however, these are more costly and are not always covered by insurance. If a false positive result occurs, the doctor may recommend the use of a different test to confirm the results.

Is HPV a STI or STD?

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). HPV is a different virus than HIV and HSV (herpes). There were about 43 million HPV infections in 2018, many among people in their late teens and early 20s.