Hi, I tested positive myself for it in January. There will be loads of people on here who are way more expert than me but, I have learnt that around 80% of people have this virus and most won't every know about it. You could catch it at 16 and it could remain dormant your entire life or become active at 45... it doesn't mean anyone has had an affair and anyone can get it. There is some information coming out about Covid and it's effects on activated viruses that stay in your body for your lifetime, like herpes, chickenpox etc, I'm not saying it's connected but it has made me wonder if more women are getting positive HPV tests at the moment, just me thinking out loud. 

I have thought that myself. I caught covid last year and still not fully recovered regards with smell and taste still not being 100% back to normal. 

I read this online today which made me think because I have only been with my husband and that has been for 14 years which means it's been dormant for years.

"In extreme cases, HPV may lay dormant in the body for many years or even decades. During this time, the virus is always reproducing within cells, and it can spread even if there are no symptoms."

Hi AlbertsMummy

It’s true that virus can be dormant for years and then suddenly become active again. Typically it would become active when your immune system is low and it may be for example that your immune system is low because of having Covid. Almost everyone who has had any form of skin to skin genital contact will have come into contact with the HPV virus and most will never know about it because it will not cause symptoms or changes to cells and can be dormant or active. There is no test for men.

When your cells are normal, it is an excellent result and means the HPV has not caused any damage-it may never in your life cause any damage. Standard protocol would be to be checked again in a year just to make sure things are still as good. Please try not to worry unnecessarily over your result as it is good not to have any cell changes.