Outcomes in HrHPV-positive women with low grade cervical smears and normal or low grade initial colposcopy results
Erica Winsley, Dushyant Maharaj, Peter Abels, Diane Kenwright, Fali Langdana
Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection in New Zealand. HPV infection is a prerequisite for the development of cervical cancer. For a woman with cervical smear abnormality and a high-risk type HPV (HrHPV) test, management must balance the need to identify and treat abnormalities likely to progress to cancer and avoid unnecessary treatment related to transient HPV infection. Women 30 years and older who are HrHPV-positive and have either normal or low grade abnormalities at colposcopic biopsy may be followed up with a 12-month cervical smear rather than a repeat colposcopy. Women with a normal smear and HrHPV-positive test should undergo a repeat co-test in 12 months, and if the co-test is positive should be referred for colposcopy.