Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffDuring the physical exam, your doctor may be able to diagnose genital HPV infection after visual inspection of any warts or lesions. If warts aren't visible, you may need one or more of the following tests:
- Vinegar solution test. Your doctor may apply a vinegar solution that turns HPV-infected genital areas white. This may help in identifying difficult-to-see flat lesions.
- Pap test. Your doctor collects a sample of cells from your cervix or vagina to send for laboratory analysis. Pap tests can reveal abnormalities that may lead to cancer.
- DNA test. This test can recognize the DNA of the high-risk varieties of HPV that have been linked to genital cancers. The test is conducted on a sample of cells taken from your cervix.
References
- Douglas JM. Papillomavirus. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50401-8&isbn=978-1-4160-2805-5&sid=1100799163&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50401-8--cesec10&uniqId=230895620-4#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50401-8--cesec10. Accessed Jan. 3, 2011.
- Habif TP. Warts. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, U.K.; New York, N.Y.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00021-3&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&sid=1100799163&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00021-3--s0015&uniqId=230895620-4#4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00021-3--s0015. Accessed Jan. 3, 2011.
- Reichman R. Clinical presentation and diagnosis of human papillomavirus infections. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 3, 2011.
- Genital HPV infection: Fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm. Accessed Jan. 3, 2011.
- Molpus KL, et al. Gynecologic cancers. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50214-7--cesec29&isbn=978-1-4160-2805-5&sid=1101118090&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50214-7--cesec40&uniqId=230973572-4#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50214-7--cesec40. Accessed Jan. 4, 2011.
- Goldstein BG, et al. Cutaneous warts. http://uptodate.com.home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 4, 2011.
- Warts. American Academy of Dermatology. http://aad.org/publications/pamphlets/common_warts.html. Accessed Jan. 4, 2011.
- Breen E, et al. Condylomata acuminata (anogenital warts). http://uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 4, 2011.
- Human papillomaviruses and cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/HPV. Accessed Jan. 4, 2011.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Recommendations on the use of quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine in males — Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2011:60;1705.

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