Hello Amy47 and thanks for posting, 

It is never possible to be sure when anyone picked up HPV. This is because it can sometimes be present but inactive (dormant). Smear tests have only been testing for HPV in recent years, but if your last smear was HPV negative then it is possible that you had an infection that was dormant.

It might help to look at the HPV information on the website of another charity,  Jo's Trust at this link. 

There are different types of HPV, some cause genital warts which can be treated, but otherwise there is no treatment and the immune system usually gets on top of the virus in time. HPV is a very common infection which in most people causes no serious harm. But persistent active infections can sometimes cause cell changes, particularly on the cervix which might develop into cancer one day. 

When cell changes are detected in the skin cells covering the cervix, the next step is a close examination (at colposcopy) to assess things further and decide if any treatment is necessary. The idea is to prevent cancer from developing in the future although some cell changes can go back to normal by themselves if the HPV clears up.  

Please give us a ring if you want to talk anything over.  The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and we are around weekdays 9-5. 

Best wishes,

Julia