Can I get tested for HPV?

There is a test available to find HPV infections. It is like a pap test and involves taking samples of tissue from the cervix. These tissue samples are then tested to find out if there is an HPV infection, and if so, what type of HPV the infection is caused by.

An HPV test can be done at the same time as a pap test. Pap tests are used to find any changes to the cells of the cervix. These changes alert doctors to the possibility of cervical cancer.