Hello, and thank you for posting

I can understand how receiving an HPV-positive result—especially after a previous negative one—can feel unsettling

Although your recent cervical screening result shows that you have tested positive for HPV, importantly, no abnormal cell changes were found.

At the time you received the first HPV vaccine, it would have depended on which vaccine you had as to what protection you received.

What I mean by this is that if you received the vaccine Cervarix at the time, this protected against HPV 16 and 18, which are the high-risk HPV strains that were known at the time to cause abnormal cells in the cervix, which, if left untreated, may change and lead to cervical cancer.

Another vaccine, which was given around the same time, was Gardasil, and this protected against high-risk HPV 16 and 18 and also genital warts, which are caused by types 6 and 11.

There are 100 different types of HPV strains; 16 and 18 are the most common types that are linked with cancer. Since the time of the vaccine you received. The vaccine that is offered today, Gardasil 9, protects against many more types of HPV. So it is possible the HPV strain you have wasn't covered by the vaccine you had at the time..

The types of HPV that cause genital warts (mainly types 6 and 11) are low-risk HPV and are not tested for during cervical screening., This is different from the high-risk types that can affect the cervix. So, even if your partner has had genital warts in the past, this doesn’t increase your risk of cervical cancer.

I hope this helps in some way. If you have any further questions or would like to talk things through, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can speak with one of the nurses on the helpline between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday freephone 0808 800 4040.

Jemma