How is HPV infection diagnosed?

HPV sometimes can be suspected by changes that appear on a pap smear, since pap smears identify infected abnormal cells that may be precursors to cancer. While HPV infection can lead to precancerous changes in the cervix that are recognized on the pap smear, the pap smear itself cannot definitely establish the diagnosis of HPV infection, unless special testing for the DNA of HPV is carried out on the material obtained from the pap smear. When there is an abnormal pap smear, the doctor often will do advanced testing on the material to determine if, and which kind, of HPV may be present. HPV also can be detected if a biopsy (for example, from a genital wart or from the uterine cervix) is sent to the laboratory for analysis.