What is HPV Turkey?
HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) is the common name for small, non-enveloped DNA viruses belonging to the papillomaviridae family. This group of viruses, which multiply in the skin and mucosa due to its specific tropism for keratinocytes on the body surface, can have a wide range of effects on human health. HPV may not show symptoms for years after entering a latent or prodromal period after infecting the skin or mucosa. While the virus is suppressed in individuals with a strong immune system, lesions occur by copying viral DNA in damaged tissues.
How is HPV Transmitted?
HPV is most commonly transmitted through direct skin or mucosal contact. Sexual transmission facilitates transmission from an infected person to a healthy person through microscopic cracks during vaginal, anal or oral intercourse. Although condom use reduces the risk of transmission, it cannot protect the entire area the virus touches; therefore, it does not provide complete protection. Rarely, there is a possibility of transmission through contaminated towels, underwear or medical devices, but this route has a limited role since the virus rapidly loses its susceptible structure in the external environment.
What are the HPV Types? (High Risk and Low Risk Types)
HPV types are classified into over 200 types according to their genetic variations. The most common among the low-risk types are subtypes 6 and 11, which play a role in the formation of genital warts (condyloma) and rarely rectal warts. High-risk types consist of subtypes such as 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58; these groups cause cellular dysplasia in the long term and play a role in the pathogenesis of cervical, vulva, vagina, penis, anal canal and oropharynx cancers. While most high-risk HPV infections are cleared within a few years due to immune response, persistent infection prepares the ground for the development of risky lesions.
What are the symptoms of HPV?
HPV infection is often asymptomatic, and infected individuals may not be aware that they are carrying the virus. Low-risk types cause small, raised or papular lesions called condylomata, and these warts can sometimes present with itching, burning or slight bleeding. High-risk types may not show symptoms for a long time; however, alarm signs such as breakthrough bleeding due to cervical cell dysplasia, spotting after intercourse or slight bleeding after toileting may occur. As advanced dysplasia progresses, complaints such as pain, discharge or a feeling of a mass may develop.
What Diseases Does HPV Cause? (Genital Warts, Cervical Cancer, etc.)
Low-risk HPV types are the main cause of genital warts; warts appear as focal swellings on the inner thighs, around the genital area, in the anal canal, or at the vaginal entrance. High-risk types initiate a cascading dysplasia process in the cervical epithelium, eventually forming lesions that progress to CIN (Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia) 1 through 3. If left untreated, these tissue disorders can develop into invasive cervical carcinoma. HPV also plays a role in the development of penile carcinoma, vulvar, vaginal, and anal canal cancers, and concurrent head and neck cancers.
How is HPV Diagnosed? (Smear Test, HPV DNA Test)
In cervical screening, cellular changes are investigated with the Pap smear method; if dysplasia is suspected, further examination is required. HPV DNA testing detects viral genetic material in cervical or vaginal swab samples and reveals the presence of specific types. When these two methods are used together, screening sensitivity increases significantly. Taking a biopsy by determining the lesion location with colposcopy is the gold standard for diagnosis; cytological and histological findings in biopsy pathology clarify the tendency of high-risk HPV infection to become cancerous.
Can HPV Be Treated?
HPV infection is a viral condition that can resolve on its own and is often suppressed by the immune system. Genital warts caused by low-risk types have a high rate of spontaneous resolution; however, warts can regress without leaving permanent scars and may also tend to recur. High-risk HPV types cannot completely clean the DNA traces they leave in the cell nucleus; however, precancerous lesions such as cervical dysplasia can be regressed or completely eliminated with early diagnosis and appropriate interventions. Local treatments such as hysteroscopy, conization or laser coagulation provide definitive solutions if abnormal cells are detected, while lifestyle changes that support the immune system, dietary adjustments and stress management help the body combat HPV more effectively.
What is the HPV Vaccine and Who is It Recommended For?
The HPV vaccine is a recombinant immunization method developed to protect against the most common low- and high-risk types of human papillomavirus. The vaccine options, available in four or nine-valent doses, specifically target the HPV types that cause cancer of the cervix, anal canal, and oropharynx. The World Health Organization and national health authorities recommend two doses of the vaccine for girls and boys ages 9–14, ideally before sexual intercourse begins, and three doses for young adults ages 15 and older. Even at older ages or with a history of exposure to HPV, the vaccine still reduces the risk of new types of infection, significantly reducing both the development of warts and the development of HPV-associated cancers.
Is HPV Also Seen in Men?
HPV infection is not specific to women, and can also cause warts or dysplasia in men by causing lesions in the genital area, anorectal canal and oral mucosa. In men, carriage of high-risk types, which predispose to cancers of the anal area and penis, progresses much more silently than the formation of warts; therefore, great importance is given to men’s HPV screening, vaccination and application of protection methods in risky sexual behaviors. Men included in the vaccination program both reduce their own cancer risk and protect public health by breaking the chain of transmission to their sexual partners.
HPV Test and Vaccine Prices 2026
In 2026, full screening packages in Türkiye, which include HPV DNA testing, laboratory panel and clinical consultancy services, are priced between ₺2,500 and ₺3,500 in private institutions. Single-session HPV vaccines are sold in the range of ₺1,200 – ₺1,500 per dose; when the protocol requiring two or three doses is completed, the total cost varies between ₺3,600 – ₺4,500. While HPV vaccines are generally provided free of charge in age groups that are eligible for the vaccination program in health institutions with SGK agreements, a co-payment may be requested for tests. Since payment facilities and installment options vary from institution to institution, it is recommended to contact the health center patient admission unit for detailed information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does HPV Go Away on Its Own?
Most HPV infections, especially in young adults with normal immune systems, can spontaneously regress within 1–2 years. The body’s cellular immune response suppresses the viral DNA in infected cells, allowing the lesions to be completely cleared. Persistent infection in high-risk types can lead to dysplasia or precancerous changes years later. Therefore, when HPV positivity is detected, regular smear and HPV DNA testing is recommended, even if no lesions are seen; thus, despite the body’s own control mechanism, the risk of persistent infection can be detected at an early stage and intervention becomes possible.
How Many Doses of HPV Vaccine Are Given?
HPV vaccine protocols vary according to the age group applied. A two-dose (0th and 6th months) schedule is recommended for adolescents aged 9–14, and a three-dose (0th, 2nd and 6th months) schedule is recommended for adolescents aged 15 and over. As the immunological response of the immune microenvironment is supported, antibody titers remain high for a long time. Since vaccination before completing three doses may not provide full protection, especially against high-risk types, it is recommended to stick to the intervals without skipping doses. When the vaccination program is completed, both the formation of warts due to low-risk types and the risk of cancer due to high-risk types are significantly reduced.
Does Every HPV Infection Cause Cancer?
Among the more than 200 types of HPV, only about 14 types classified as high-risk have the potential for cellular dysplasia and malignant transformation. HPV-16 and HPV-18 are the two most important types, responsible for 70% of cervical cancers worldwide. Low-risk types (6, 11) usually cause warts and have almost no risk of cancer. Infection with high-risk types does not turn into cancer without persistent infection and dysplasia; cancer can be prevented with regular screening and dysplasia follow-up, and interventions such as timely coagulation or conization. Therefore, the judgment that “every HPV infection causes cancer” is not correct, and type determination and the presence of dysplasia should be evaluated.
Is HPV Without Warts Contagious?
Some individuals who are HPV carriers may not develop any clinical lesions; this is called latent infection. The absence of lesions does not eliminate the potential for transmission of the virus. Contact with microscopic breaks in the skin or mucosa allows the transmission of virus particles. Therefore, HPV-positive individuals without condyles can also transmit the virus to their sexual partners. The infectivity of lesion-free carriers may be lower than in symptomatic individuals, but it is not absent; condom use and vaccination are the only effective methods of preventing this spread.
Can HPV be transmitted from men to women?
HPV can be transmitted from both men to women and women to men during sexual intercourse. The most common transmission is through vaginal or anal contact, where the virus is transferred from the unseen lesions on the penis or perineal skin to the female genital mucosa. Oral sexual contact can also transmit it to the oropharynx. This chain of transmission can be interrupted by vaccinating both men and women and using condoms. Male vaccination reduces the risk of transmission to the female partner, thus reducing the prevalence of HPV in the community.