US Medical Term · tests
HPV Test (Human Papillomavirus Test)
Prueba de VPH (virus del papiloma humano)
What it means
An HPV test, also called a human papillomavirus test, screens for the infection that causes cervical precancer or cancer by examining a sample of cervical cells. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) dictionary defines it as a laboratory test in which cells are tested for DNA or RNA from certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that are known to cause cervical cancer. MedlinePlus explains that most HPV types are harmless, but nearly all cervical cancers are caused by high-risk HPV infections. An HPV test may be used alone, which NCI says is also called primary HPV testing, or done at the same time as a Pap test, which is called cotesting. There are two ways to collect the sample: your provider can collect it, or you can collect it yourself.
HPV Test (Human Papillomavirus Test) in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Prueba de VPH (virus del papiloma humano)
- Gender and article
- feminine: la prueba de VPH
- Pronunciation
- PRWEH-bah deh beh-peh-AH-cheh (BEE-roos dehl pah-pee-LOH-mah oo-MAH-noh)
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| prueba del VPH | General | Form with the article (del); the entry of the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary, also used by MedlinePlus en español. |
| prueba del virus del papiloma humano | General | Full name, given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary as another name. |
| prueba de HPV | General | Form with the English abbreviation, given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary as another name. |
| prueba de PVH | General | Form with the abbreviation PVH, given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary as another name. |
The headword uses prueba de VPH, the form MedlinePlus en español prints in its headings (¿Qué es la prueba de VPH?). The same page also writes prueba del VPH, with the article, which is the form the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary uses in its entry. VPH stands for virus del papiloma humano, and the test takes the feminine article (la prueba). The NCI dictionary adds that it is also called prueba de HPV, prueba de PVH and prueba del virus del papiloma humano.
Words MedlinePlus en español uses with the test are cuello uterino (cervix), VPH de alto riesgo and VPH de bajo riesgo (high-risk and low-risk HPV), espéculo (speculum) and hisopo (swab). The Pap test is the prueba de Papanicolaou, sometimes called prueba de Pap; when both tests are done at the same time, MedlinePlus en español calls it a prueba conjunta (cotesting). The NCI dictionary calls testing with the HPV test alone prueba primaria del VPH.
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Clinician | Today we are going to do an HPV test along with your Pap test. | Hoy le vamos a hacer una prueba de VPH junto con la prueba de Papanicolaou. |
| Patient | What does the HPV test look for? | ¿Qué busca la prueba de VPH? |
| Clinician | It looks for high-risk types of the virus in cells from the cervix. | Busca tipos de alto riesgo del virus en células del cuello uterino. |
| Patient | Does the test hurt? | ¿Duele la prueba? |
| Clinician | I am going to use a small, soft brush to collect cells from your cervix. | Voy a usar un cepillo pequeño y suave para recoger células del cuello uterino. |
| Patient | Can I collect the sample myself? | ¿Puedo recoger la muestra yo? |
| Patient | When will I get the results of my HPV test? | ¿Cuándo voy a recibir los resultados de mi prueba de VPH? |
| Patient | My HPV test came back positive. Does that mean I have cancer? | Mi prueba de VPH salió positiva. ¿Eso quiere decir que tengo cáncer? |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | HPV Test (Human Papillomavirus Test) |
| Spanish (Español) | Prueba de VPH (virus del papiloma humano) |
| Chinese (中文) | 人類乳突病毒檢測 |
| Korean (한국어) | HPV 검사 (인유두종바이러스) |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Xét nghiệm HPV (virus u nhú người) |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | HPV Test |
| Portuguese (Português) | Teste de HPV (papilomavírus humano) |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | การตรวจ HPV |
| Japanese (日本語) | HPV検査（ヒトパピローマウイルス） |
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Reproductive health and pregnancy
All terms in this area: Reproductive health and pregnancy — Salud reproductiva y embarazo
Sources
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Test: MedlinePlus Medical Test — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Prueba del virus del papiloma humano (VPH): Prueba de laboratorio de MedlinePlus — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- HPV test — NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms — National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH
- prueba del VPH — Diccionario de cáncer del NCI — Instituto Nacional del Cáncer (NCI), NIH
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 8, 2026