If your partner has tested positive for HPV, the short answer is that it is very common, it usually clears on its own, and it says nothing about when or from whom it was caught. Here is what it means for each of you, and what, if anything, you need to do.
Does HPV mean my partner has been unfaithful?
No. Most sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their lives, usually without knowing. The virus can stay in the body at levels too low to detect for months or years before a test picks it up. A positive result today does not mean it was caught recently, and it cannot tell us who it came from. I see couples in clinic who are distressed by this question, and the answer is almost always the same: HPV is a health issue, not a sign of betrayal.
How HPV is passed on
HPV spreads through skin-to-skin genital contact, not only through penetrative sex. Condoms reduce the risk but do not remove it, because the virus lives on skin that a condom does not cover. If you have been together for some time, you have very likely already shared the virus, even if only one of you has tested positive.
Should I get tested too?
If you are a woman: keep to your normal cervical screening. If you are due or overdue a smear, book one. HPV testing is the first step of cervical screening in the UK, and there is no benefit to testing more often than recommended just because your partner has HPV.
If you are a man: there is no approved HPV test for men, and testing is not recommended. Most men clear the virus without ever knowing they had it. If you notice warts or any new lump or sore in the genital area, see a doctor so it can be examined.
What happens after a positive HPV result
If your partner’s cervical screening found high-risk HPV, the same sample is checked for cell changes (cytology).
- No cell changes: she is usually asked to repeat the test in one year, to check whether the virus has cleared.
- Cell changes found: she is referred for colposcopy, a closer look at the cervix. Most changes are mild, and many settle without treatment.
Treatment, when needed, is aimed at abnormal cells rather than the virus itself. There is no medicine that removes HPV. The body’s immune system clears it, usually within one to two years. Stopping smoking helps.
Do we need to stop having sex?
No. There is no need to stop having sex or to start using condoms in an established relationship, because you have most likely both been exposed already. Sex does not stop the virus from clearing.
Can the HPV vaccine still help?
The vaccine protects against the HPV types that cause most cervical cancers and genital warts. It does not treat an infection you already have, but it can protect against types you have not yet met. It is offered routinely to young people in the UK and can be bought privately by adults. Ask your GP or pharmacist whether it is worthwhile for you.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor without waiting for your next screening if you have:
- bleeding after sex or between periods
- new genital warts, lumps or sores
- pain during sex that does not settle
Common questions
Will HPV go away?
In most people, yes. The immune system clears around nine in ten infections within two years.
Can we keep passing it back and forth?
Couples usually share the same types, and the immune response that clears it also protects against that type in future. Re-infection with the same type is uncommon.
Does HPV affect fertility or pregnancy?
HPV itself does not affect fertility. If cell changes need treatment, your gynaecologist will explain any effect on future pregnancies.
Private HPV testing in London
At AristoGP, Dr Anastasia Mermigka, consultant gynaecologist, takes the sample herself and explains the result. A private smear test with HPV testing is £150, with cytology added free if HPV is found, and results usually come back within two to five days. Book a smear test in Central London.
Related care and reading
Smear tests from £150, results in 2 to 5 days.