How long does it take for HPV to cause an abnormal pap?

If your immune system is healthy, it typically takes about 10 to 15 years for cervical cancer to develop from a high-grade lesion.

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Can HPV cause abnormal cells in a year?

When a high-risk HPV infection of cervical cells lasts many years, the cells can become abnormal. These changes can get worse over time and may become cervical cancer.

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How long does it take for HPV to show up on Pap smear?

Often, HPV warts will appear three to six months after sexual relations with an infected person; or they may take months to appear; or they may never appear. Likewise, the interval between an infection with HPV and a cervical smear abnormality can vary from months to decades.

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Will my Pap smear be abnormal if I have HPV?

An abnormal result means that cell changes were found on your cervix. This usually does not mean that you have cervical cancer. Abnormal changes on your cervix are likely caused by HPV. The changes may be minor (low-grade) or serious (high-grade).

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How long does it take for HPV to cause problems?

They may appear weeks, months or even years after you've been infected with HPV. Genital warts are contagious (like all forms of HPV), but they're harmless. High-risk forms of HPV often don't cause symptoms until they've progressed to cancer. Cervical cancer is the most common type of HPV-related cancer.

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What are the health issues related to HPV and how long does HPV infection last?

20 related questions found

What if I've had HPV for 3 years?

If you still have HPV after 3 years, you may need to have a colposcopy. You'll be asked to have a colposcopy. Information: HPV is a common virus and most people will get it at some point.

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How do I know how long I had HPV for?

A person may have HPV for many years before it causes health problems. If you or your partner receive a diagnosis of a disease from HPV, there is no way to know: How long you have had HPV; Whether your partner gave you HPV; or.

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Why do my Pap smears keep coming back abnormal?

In most cases, an abnormal Pap test is a result of: A human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. A sexually transmitted infection (STI or STD), such as herpes or trichomoniasis. A bacterial or yeast infection.

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Why is my Pap smear abnormal but no HPV?

Other things can cause cells to look abnormal, including irritation, some infections (such as a yeast infection), growths (such as polyps in the uterus), and changes in hormones that occur during pregnancy or menopause. Although these things may make cervical cells look abnormal, they are not related to cancer.

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What if HPV is positive but no abnormal cells?

HPV found with no cell changes - means you have high-risk HPV, but you do not have changes to your cervical cells. So you will be invited for cervical screening sooner to check that the HPV has gone. This usually after a year.

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How did I get HPV if I am married?

You can get HPV by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus. It is most commonly spread during vaginal or anal sex. It also spreads through close skin-to-skin touching during sex. A person with HPV can pass the infection to someone even when they have no signs or symptoms.

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Why is my body not clearing HPV?

Around 90% of HPV infections clear within 2 years. For a small number of women and people with a cervix, their immune system will not be able to get rid of HPV. This is called a persistent infection. A persistent HPV infection causes the cells of the cervix to change.

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Can a doctor tell when you contracted HPV?

A sexual health check at the doctors/clinic (routine check up) is not able to detect skin viruses, HPV or HSV (genital herpes). HPV can be diagnosed only if a person has visible warts on genital skin or if they have an abnormal cervical smear result.

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How often does HPV turn into abnormal cells?

When the body's immune system can't get rid of an HPV infection with oncogenic HPV types, it can linger over time and turn normal cells into abnormal cells and then cancer. About 10% of women with HPV infection on their cervix will develop long-lasting HPV infections that put them at risk for cervical cancer.

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Can you have HPV for 3 years but no abnormal cells?

HPV can stay in the body for many years. It can stay at very low or undetectable levels and not cause any problems. This means an HPV infection may have come from a partner a long time ago. There are many different types of HPV , but only some high-risk types can lead to cancer.

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Why have I had HPV for 2 years?

It's possible. In most cases, your immune system will eventually get rid of an HPV infection within 2 years. But HPV can stay in our bodies – sometimes without us knowing about it, as it is not detected with a test. This is called dormant or clinically insignificant HPV.

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How often are abnormal Pap smears cancerous?

In the U.S., around three million Pap smears come back abnormal each year, but less than 1% are related to cervical cancer, Ferris explains.

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Can abnormal cells on a Pap test be nothing?

Most abnormal Pap smear results are nothing to worry about

Most women will have at least one abnormal Pap smear result in their lifetime, with an overall average of 5% of all Pap tests coming back as “abnormal.” In most cases, the abnormal result is nothing to worry about, but it's important to follow up to make sure.

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Should I be worried if my Pap smear came back abnormal?

If your Pap test results are abnormal, your doctor may recommend a colposcopy. If you're told that you need a colposcopy, don't panic, says Coleman.

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What is the most common abnormal finding in a Pap smear?

One of the most common abnormal Pap smear causes is the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). It can affect both women and men, and generally it doesn't show any signs or symptoms.

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Can hormone imbalance cause abnormal Pap smear?

Hormonal Issues

Another reason for an abnormal pap smear can be hormonal imbalances. As women age, their cervical wall also ages, producing changes in their cervical cells.

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Can stress cause HPV to flare up?

Those who said they were depressed or believed they had high levels of stress also still had an active HPV infection. HPV usually clears up on its own, but this study is really the first to indicate a link between stress and persistent HPV infection.

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Should I worry about HPV positive?

A positive test result means that you have a type of high-risk HPV that's linked to cervical cancer. It doesn't mean that you have cervical cancer now, but it's a warning sign that cervical cancer could develop in the future.

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Can HPV take 5 years to clear?

For 90 percent of women with HPV, the condition will clear up on its own within two years. Only a small number of women who have one of the HPV strains that cause cervical cancer will ever actually develop the disease.

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