HPV Testing

Nationally awarded Clinics in 2016, 2018 and 2020 for health and business quality

This test is especially relevant for women, because the presence of oncogenic strains implies an exhaustive surveillance to prevent cervical cancer; heterosexual men, because the virus will most likely be transmitted to their partners; and men who have sex with men, because of its relevance to the risk of developing anal cancer. The World Health Organisation (WHO) indicates that sexually active people over the age of 30 should be tested every 3 to 5 years.

At Open House clinics we perform the HPV test using the PCR technique, which is unbeatably accurate. You can do it individually (€95) or add it to your STI testing package (€70). The prevalence is very high, both in men and women, and mostly has no symptoms, so testing is the only way to know if you are infected.

What are the symptoms of human papillomavirus?

Mostly there are no symptoms, but some strains cause the well-known genital warts, which usually appear as spots or cauliflower-shaped (condylomas), located in the vagina, labia and anus in women. In men, they can appear anywhere on the penis, including the glans penis, and also on the anus.

The symptoms of a cancerous process can take years to manifest themselves, hence the importance of detecting oncogenic (high-risk) strains through testing.

What is the treatment for HPV or genital warts ?

At Open House we treat genital warts by cryotherapy (freezing). The process is generally painless and takes less than 10 minutes, although it may require several sessions to completely remove them. In complicated cases, we prescribe pharmaceuticals that remove the warts.

Unfortunately, there is no direct treatment for HPV (except for warts), but it is very important to get tested because, if a high-risk strain is detected, our medical team will give you guidelines to help your own immune system eliminate the virus.

How is HPV transmitted?

HPV is a highly infectious virus and is transmitted by skin-to-skin or mucosal sexual contact. Most infections come from oral, vaginal or anal sex, but it can be transmitted by touching or fondling. The use of condoms reduces the risk, but does not prevent it.
According to the WHO, HPV prevalence is 31% in men for all strains and 21% for high-risk strains. In sexually active women the prevalence is between 40-60%. In recent years, the number of anal cancer cases in the HIV+ population has increased, with 95% of these new cases being due to HPV.

What types of HPV strains are there?

Strains are classified into high-risk and low-risk oncogenic strains.
High-risk group: Types 16, 18, 31 and 45 are considered the most dangerous; these strains can cause cervical or anal cancer in the long term.