What is HPV, and what should you do if you test positive?
HPV is a very common virus, and a positive result usually does not mean cancer. What matters is the HPV type, the Pap smear result and your personal risk, assessed together. This guide explains HPV, vaccination, screening tests and follow-up. It is general information and does not replace a medical examination.
HPV: start here.
Genital warts (condylomata acuminata): what are they, what causes them, how are they treated?
What are genital warts (condylomata acuminata), what causes them and do they cause cancer?
Read the guide →How does HPV spread? Routes of transmission and common myths
How does HPV spread? Sexual contact routes, how much condoms protect, getting HPV with one partner, showing up years later, and toilets or towels.
Read the guide →HPV 16 and 18: what does it mean?
What a positive HPV 16 or 18 result means, why these types matter more, the link to cancer risk, when colposcopy is considered, vaccine coverage and…
Read the guide →HPV and cancer risk: how high is it really?
Does HPV cause cancer, and does everyone who tests positive get it?
Read the guide →HPV in men and partners: what you need to know
Can men get HPV, does it cause symptoms, is there a test?
Read the guide →HPV in pregnancy: what do you need to know?
Can HPV pass to the baby?
Read the guide →HPV in women: what you need to know
Does HPV cause symptoms in women, affect fertility or pregnancy?
Read the guide →HPV results glossary: what do the terms on your report mean?
What the abbreviations on a Pap smear or HPV report mean: NILM, ASC-US, ASC-H, LSIL, HSIL, AGC, CIN 1-2-3, LEEP, conization and colposcopy.
Read the guide →HPV symptoms: how can you tell?
Does HPV cause symptoms?
Read the guide →HPV types: low-risk and high-risk types (16 and 18)
How many HPV types are there?
Read the guide →HPV vaccine eligibility guide
Who is the HPV vaccine suitable for, at what age and how many doses?
Read the guide →HPV vaccine: who should get it, at what age, and how many doses?
What is the HPV vaccine, which types does it cover, who is it recommended for, at what age and how many doses?
Read the guide →HPV, immunity and lifestyle
Why immunity matters in HPV and how smoking affects it. Diet, sleep and stress; why vitamins and herbal supplements do not clear HPV, and the role of…
Read the guide →I tested HPV positive. What should I do?
Tested HPV positive? Reading your result, HPV 16/18, what your Pap test shows, repeat testing vs. colposcopy, what to tell your partner, and the HPV…
Read the guide →Is there a treatment for HPV?
Is there a treatment for HPV, and does the virus go away on its own?
Read the guide →Normal Pap smear, positive HPV: what does it mean and what happens next?
Normal Pap smear but positive HPV?
Read the guide →Pap test and HPV-DNA test: how do they differ, how are they done, and what do the results mean?
Pap test (smear) vs. HPV-DNA test: how they differ, how they're done, pain, how often. Free screening for ages 30–65 in Türkiye, 16/18 genotyping and…
Read the guide →Positive HPV test after LEEP: what happens next?
Why HPV can test positive after LEEP or conization: the follow-up schedule, positive surgical margins, a positive HPV result at follow-up, pregnancy…
Read the guide →Ways to protect yourself from HPV
How can you protect yourself from HPV?
Read the guide →What are LEEP and conization?
What LEEP and conization are, how they differ, how they are done and whether they hurt. Aftercare, effects on pregnancy and the risk of recurrence.
Read the guide →What do CIN 1, CIN 2 and CIN 3 mean?
What CIN 1, CIN 2 and CIN 3 mean and whether CIN is cancer. Grades of cervical cell changes, which are monitored, which are treated, and follow-up…
Read the guide →What does my Pap smear result mean?
What NILM, ASC-US, LSIL, HSIL, ASC-H or AGC mean on a Pap smear result, and which next step is usually followed after each one.
Read the guide →What is a colposcopy, when is it needed, and does it hurt?
What colposcopy is, when it is needed, whether it hurts and how long it takes. Biopsy, before and after care, what results mean, and colposcopy in…
Read the guide →What is anal HPV?
What is anal HPV, how does it spread, and how is it linked to anal warts and anal cancer?
Read the guide →What is HPV? A guide for people starting from zero
What is HPV, how common is it, how does it spread, and do all types cause cancer?
Read the guide →What is oral (mouth and throat) HPV?
What is oral HPV, how does it spread, does it cause symptoms?
Read the guide →More topics in this area are currently available in Turkish: HPV Rehberi (Turkish). English versions are added over time.
Common questions
Does the HPV vaccine make screening unnecessary?
No. The vaccine protects against some high-risk types but not all of them, so vaccinated people continue with the recommended screening program.
Does a positive HPV test mean there is a problem with my partner?
HPV is very common, and it is usually impossible to tell when it was acquired. A positive result is not enough to draw any conclusion about a relationship.
Can HPV infection be treated?
There is no routine medicine that eliminates the virus itself; most infections clear on their own. Treatment may target the cell changes the virus can cause.
Do I need screening if I have no symptoms?
Yes. Early HPV-related changes usually cause no symptoms; the purpose of screening is to find changes during this silent period.
Does HPV go away on its own?
Most infections are usually cleared by the immune system within 1–2 years. High-risk types that persist need follow-up.
Is HPV screening free in Türkiye?
Under the Ministry of Health program, women aged 30–65 are offered free HPV-DNA screening every five years. Ask your doctor or family health center about eligibility.
How appointments work
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Mat works at a public institution in Türkiye. Appointments are made through the national MHRS system; this site has no booking form or private booking channel.