# HPV (Human Papillomavirus) > What is HPV, how is it passed on, does it go away on its own? What happens if an HPV test is positive, the screening programme in Türkiye, the HPV vaccine, genital warts and treatment options — Antalya. HPV is very common and most of the time passes without leaving a trace. This page brings together in one place what you need to know about HPV: **what it is**, **what a test result means**, the **vaccine** and the **treatment options**. You can reach the detailed pages from here. **In short:** HPV (human papillomavirus) is a common group of viruses passed on through sexual contact; almost everyone who is sexually active meets it at some point in their life. In about 90% of people the body clears the infection on its own within 1–2 years. Some types cause genital warts, while high-risk types that persist can lead to cervical cancer over the years. There is no medicine for the virus itself; vaccination and regular screening protect. ## What is HPV? HPV (human papillomavirus) is not a single virus but a group of **more than 200** known viruses. It can affect the skin, the genital area and the throat. The types are divided into two groups according to the problems they can cause: - **Low-risk types (most often 6 and 11):** they do not cause cancer; they are the cause of genital warts (condylomas) — see [Genital Warts](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/tedaviler/genital-sigil/). - **High-risk types (most often 16 and 18):** when the body does not clear them and they become **persistent** (long-lasting), they are the cause of cervical cancer (cancer of the neck of the womb); they are also linked to cancers of the vulva, vagina, mouth and throat, penis and anus. Cervical cancer is the most common of the cancers caused by HPV; in women it makes up more than 90% of HPV-related cancers. ## How common is it, and how is it passed on? According to the World Health Organization, HPV is one of the **most common sexually transmitted infections**: almost everyone who is sexually active meets HPV at some point in their life, and most of the time it causes no symptoms at all. - It is passed on through sexual contact and **skin-to-skin contact**. Transmission outside sexual intercourse, through skin contact and shared objects, has also been documented. - **Condoms** reduce transmission but do not give full protection; they do not cover all of the skin in the genital area. - **Smoking** increases the chance that the infection becomes persistent; stopping smoking reduces this risk. - In people whose immune system is suppressed (people living with HIV, those who have had an organ transplant, those taking medicines that suppress the immune system) HPV is more common and more often becomes persistent. ## Does HPV go away on its own? **Mostly, yes.** In about **90%** of people the immune system controls the infection on its own; the virus is usually cleared **within 1–2 years** without leaving any lasting trace. The problem is when a high-risk type **is not cleared and becomes persistent**. A persistent infection can cause changes in the cells of the cervix, and these, if not treated, can lead to cancer. This process is slow: after an HPV infection, cervical cancer usually takes **15–20 years** to develop. This is why screening works — the changes can be caught and treated before they turn into cancer. ## What are the symptoms? HPV infection most often **causes no symptoms at all**. When there are symptoms: - **Genital warts:** small, rough bumps on the vagina, the vulva or around the anus; they can cause itching or irritation. - **Early cell changes in the cervix** cause no symptoms. This is why screening is done without waiting for complaints. - In cervical cancer, **bleeding between periods or after sex** and **foul-smelling discharge** may be seen. These symptoms can also have other causes; even so, they should be assessed. ## HPV testing and screening An HPV test looks for the high-risk HPV types that can cause cancer in a sample taken from the cervix. A smear (Pap) test, on the other hand, looks at the cells themselves. For the difference between the two, the intervals recommended by guidelines and testing on a sample the person takes themselves, see [Smear and HPV Testing](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/tedaviler/pap-smear-ve-hpv/). - **Türkiye:** the Turkish Ministry of Health national cervical cancer screening programme offers **an HPV-DNA test every 5 years to women aged 30–65**. - **World Health Organization:** an HPV test every 5–10 years from the age of 30; in women living with HIV, every 3 years from the age of 25. - Your own screening plan may differ according to your previous results and your risk situation. At the practice in Muratpaşa, Antalya, samples are taken for HPV testing and smears, and colposcopy and genital wart treatments are carried out. ## My HPV test is positive: what happens now? **A positive HPV test does not mean you have cancer.** It shows that you have come into contact with the virus; most infections are temporary and clear on their own. The next step is decided by **which type** was found and by the result of the **cell examination** of the same sample: - **If HPV 16 or 18 was found**, or if the cell examination shows a change, the cervix is examined under magnification — see [Colposcopy](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/tedaviler/kolposkopi/). - **If other high-risk types were found and the cell examination is normal**, usually no procedure is done straight away; the test is repeated after a certain time (most often 1 year). This is how it becomes clear whether the virus has been cleared. - If a precancerous change (a change that can turn into cancer) is found at colposcopy, the changed tissue is most often removed with a small procedure — see [LEEP](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/tedaviler/leep/). For questions about your partner, see [HPV in men: testing, vaccination and what partners should do](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/blog/erkeklerde-hpv-testi-asi-ve-partnerin-yapmasi-gerekenler/). ## The HPV vaccine Vaccination is the most effective way of protecting against HPV infection and HPV-related cancers. The vaccine **contains no live virus and no viral DNA**; for this reason it cannot cause an HPV-related disease. The vaccine **does not treat** an existing infection; it **prevents** new infection and the development of cancer. - **Most suitable age:** the World Health Organization recommends vaccinating girls aged 9–14, before sexual life begins. The vaccine is more effective at a younger age. - **Later ages:** it is recommended up to the age of 26 for people who have not been adequately vaccinated; between 27 and 45 it may be considered through a decision made together with the doctor. - The **number of doses** depends on the age at which vaccination starts and on the state of the immune system. - **In pregnancy** the vaccine is not recommended; vaccination is started after the pregnancy. A routine pregnancy test is not needed before vaccination. - **The vaccine does not replace screening:** people who have been vaccinated should also follow the screening recommendations. For details see [The HPV vaccine: what it is, who it is for and when it is given](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/blog/hpv-asisi-nedir-kimlere-ne-zaman-yapilir-antalya/) and [Do I still need a smear test after the HPV vaccine?](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/blog/hpv-asisi-yaptirdim-smear-testi-hala-gerekir-mi/) ## Is there a treatment for HPV? According to the World Health Organization, **there is no treatment that removes the HPV infection itself**; the body clears the virus. What is treated are the problems that HPV causes: - **Genital warts:** treated by freezing (cryotherapy), cautery (burning treatment), surgical removal, laser or medicines applied to the skin. Coming back is common — see [Genital Warts](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/tedaviler/genital-sigil/). - **Precancerous changes in the cervix:** treated by destroying them with cold or heat, or by removing them surgically — see [LEEP](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/tedaviler/leep/). Treating a precancerous change prevents cancer. - **Cancer:** treatment is more effective when it is recognised early. ## Prevention 1. **Vaccination** — if possible, before sexual life begins. 2. **Regular screening** — without waiting for symptoms, at the recommended intervals. 3. **Condoms** — reduce the risk, but do not give full protection. 4. **Stopping smoking** — reduces the chance that the infection becomes persistent. ## Articles about HPV - [A positive HPV test: what should be done?](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/blog/hpv-pozitifligi-durumunda-ne-yapilmali-tibbi-takip-ve-degerlendirme-surecleri/) - [HPV infection and the HPV vaccine](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/blog/hpv-enfeksiyonu-ve-hpv-asisi/) - [What is the difference between a smear test and an HPV test?](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/blog/smear-testi-ile-hpv-testi-arasindaki-fark-nedir/) - [Does an abnormal smear result mean cancer? ASC-US and LSIL](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/blog/anormal-smear-sonucu-kanser-demek-mi-asc-us-lsil/) - [How is a smear test done? What does an unsatisfactory sample mean?](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/blog/smear-testi-nasil-yapilir-yetersiz-ornek-ne-demek/) - [Genital warts (HPV): symptoms and treatment methods](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/blog/genital-sigil-hpv-nedir-belirtileri-ve-tedavi-yontemleri/) - [Cervical cancer](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/blog/rahim-agzi-serviks-kanseri/) - [What is a colposcopy, and what happens during it?](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/blog/kolposkopi-nedir-islem-sirasinda-ne-olur/) - [What to expect after a colposcopy and biopsy](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/blog/kolposkopi-ve-biyopsi-sonrasi-ne-beklenir-nelere-dikkat-edilir/) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Does HPV turn into cancer? HPV itself is not cancer. In about 90% of people the virus clears on its own within 1–2 years. Only when a high-risk type becomes **persistent** can changes begin in the cells of the cervix; these usually take 15–20 years to turn into cancer. Regular screening catches these changes before they turn into cancer. ### Does HPV go away on its own? Mostly, yes. According to the World Health Organization, in about **90%** of people the immune system controls the infection on its own and the virus is usually cleared within 1–2 years. Stopping smoking reduces the chance that the virus becomes persistent. ### My HPV test is positive — what should I do? A positive HPV test does not mean you have cancer. The next step is decided by the type found and by the cell examination: if HPV 16 or 18 was found, or if the cells show a change, a **colposcopy** (examination of the cervix under magnification) is done; with other types, if the cell examination is normal, the test is usually repeated after a certain time (most often 1 year). Please consult your doctor about what your own result means. ### How is HPV passed on, and do condoms protect? HPV is passed on through sexual contact and skin-to-skin contact; transmission outside sexual intercourse has also been documented. Condoms reduce the risk but **do not give full protection**, because they do not cover all of the skin in the genital area. The most effective way of protection is vaccination. ### Is there a treatment for HPV? There is no medicine that removes the HPV infection itself; most of the time the body clears the virus. What is treated are the problems HPV causes: **genital warts** (freezing, cautery, surgery, laser, medicines applied to the skin) and **precancerous changes** in the cervix (destroying them, or removing them with small surgical procedures such as LEEP). ### Up to what age can the HPV vaccine be given? It is most effective at ages 9–14, before sexual life begins. It is recommended up to the age of 26 for people who have not been adequately vaccinated; between 27 and 45 it may be considered through a decision made together with the doctor. The vaccine is not recommended in pregnancy; it is postponed until after the pregnancy. ### If I have had the HPV vaccine, do I still need screening? Yes. The vaccine protects against the types that most often cause cancer, but **it does not replace screening**. People who have been vaccinated should also follow the screening recommendations for their age. ### At what age is HPV screening done in Türkiye? The Turkish Ministry of Health national cervical cancer screening programme offers **an HPV-DNA test every 5 years to women aged 30–65**. Follow-up for people with a previous abnormal result or whose immune system is suppressed is planned separately. ## Sources 1. World Health Organization (WHO) — Human papillomavirus and cancer, fact sheet. Number of HPV types, how common it is, clearance on its own in 90%, the 15–20-year process, symptoms, vaccination age, screening intervals and treatment. Read at who.int. 2. Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Health, General Directorate of Public Health — Cancer Screenings: an HPV-DNA test every 5 years for women aged 30–65 within the cervical cancer screening programme. Read at hsgm.saglik.gov.tr. 3. CDC — HPV Vaccination Considerations: the vaccine is not recommended in pregnancy and no pregnancy test is needed beforehand; age and dose recommendations. Read at cdc.gov. 4. Saslow D et al. HPV Vaccination 2020 Guideline Update: American Cancer Society Guideline Adaptation. CA Cancer J Clin 2020;70:274-280. 5. Perkins RB et al. 2019 ASCCP Risk-Based Management Consensus Guidelines for Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Tests and Cancer Precursors. J Low Genit Tract Dis 2020;24:102-131 — the decision on colposcopy and follow-up after a positive HPV test. 6. Tyler K (Ed.). A Comprehensive Guide to Genital Skin Disease. Springer Nature 2025, Chapter 3.5.1 Human Papilloma Virus — routes of transmission and wart treatments. The information on this page is based on the national and international guidelines listed above. The page is reviewed whenever those guidelines are updated. ## Practice and Contact Details The information on this page is general. Please speak to your doctor about your own situation. - **Doctor**Op. Dr. Murat Alpay — Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology - **Address**Op. Dr. Murat Alpay Practice, Tekelioğlu Cd. No:51 B Kat:2, Filo Apt., 07160 Muratpaşa / Antalya - **Telephone**0505 351 77 88 - **Hours**Monday – Saturday 09:00 – 18:00 · Closed on Sunday [← All treatments](https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/tedaviler/) --- Original page: https://www.muratalpay.com.tr/en/tedaviler/hpv/ Last updated: 2026-09-29 Op. Dr. Murat Alpay — Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Op. Dr. Murat Alpay Practice, Tekelioğlu Cd. No:51 B Kat:2, Filo Apt., 07160 Muratpaşa / Antalya 0505 351 77 88 · Monday – Saturday 09:00 – 18:00 · Closed on Sunday *This information is for general guidance only and does not replace examination, diagnosis or treatment.*