How is it diagnosed?

A health professional usually can diagnose HPV infection, also known as genital warts, using the medical history and a physical examination. Your health professional may ask you the following questions.

• Do you think you were exposed to genital warts or any sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)? How do you know? Did your partner tell you?
• What are your symptoms? If you have discharge from the vagina or penis, it is important to note any smell or color.
• What method of birth control do you use? Did you use condoms to protect against STDs?
• Which sexual behaviors do you or your partner engage in, including high-risk behaviors such as sex with multiple partners?
• Have you had an STD in the past? How was it treated?
• Have you ever had an abnormal Pap test (for women)?

For women

After your health professional takes your medical history, you will have a gynecological exam, which usually includes a Pap test.

If your health professional finds areas of abnormal tissue on the cervix (which may be related to HPV infection), he or she may recommend treatment.

For men

After the medical history, you will have a physical examination for genital warts.

For men and women

When your health professional finds abnormal tissue but cannot make a definite diagnosis, you may have a biopsy for lab tissue studies.

Testing for the type of HPV that is causing warts is not useful for diagnosis. This test is not routinely done for diagnosis or treatment of genital warts.

Early Detection

For women

A Pap test screens for abnormal cells on the cervix. Women over 30 can get a test for HPV types at the same time as the Pap test. Results of the Pap test may indicate an HPV infection even though you have no visible warts. Not all HPV infections cause visible warts. A Pap test or cervical test for HPV types will not find HPV infections or warts in other locations of the body.

For men

There is no screening test for HPV infection in men. However, although there are no formal guidelines, some experts believe that men who receive anal sex should have a routine anal Pap test, especially if they also have HIV infection. Ask your health professional about this exam how often you should be tested.