Home kit
HPV Home Test with Subtyping
The same self-taken vaginal sample tested for the same 19 high-risk HPV DNA types, each reported individually: 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 35, 39, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, 26, 53, 69, 73 and 82.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 2 to 3 working days from lab receipt
- No fasting required
What’s included
1 marker measured
High-risk HPV DNA (individually typed)
The same self-taken vaginal sample tested for the same 19 high-risk human papillomavirus DNA types, each reported separately. Knowing which type matters most when following up a previous positive result, because it is one type persisting that carries the risk.
Overview
The grouped HPV test answers whether high-risk HPV is there. This one answers which type, and that difference matters most when you are following up a previous positive result: the same type showing up again a year later means something quite different from a new one, because it is one type persisting that carries the risk. The sample and the method are otherwise identical.
The grouped test answers whether high-risk HPV is present. This one answers which type, which matters most to people following up a previous positive result: seeing the same type again a year later means something different from seeing a new one, because it is persistence of one type that carries the risk. The sample and the method are the same, and a doctor explains what the specific types found usually mean and how they fit with NHS cervical screening.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Women aged 25 and over
- Women following up a previous HPV-positive result
- Anyone who wants to know which types were found, not only that HPV was present
Who it isn’t for
- Like the grouped test, this is not a cervical smear and does not look at cervical cells, so it does not replace NHS cervical screening. Knowing the type does not change what you can do about the infection either, since there is no treatment for HPV itself; what changes is how closely it is followed. NHS cervical screening starts at 25, because cell changes at younger ages usually settle on their own, so screening under 25 is not recommended.
- Unusual bleeding, especially after sex, needs a GP appointment rather than a home test. This test is for people aged 25 and over.
- Anyone with a new, severe or worsening symptom: contact your GP or call NHS 111. A test you buy today is not a substitute for being examined.
Common reasons people choose this test
- A previous HPV-positive result you are following up
- Wanting to know which types were found, not only that HPV was present
- Following up a positive result from a previous home HPV test
- A clinician has asked which HPV type is present
- Between GP practices or registered abroad
These are reasons people choose to test, not signs that something is wrong. A result is one part of a picture your doctor puts together with your history and an examination.
What your result looks like
Every result is shown with the unit and the reference range exactly as the laboratory reported it, with the doctor’s note underneath.
- High-risk HPV DNA (individually typed)Detected
- Result
- HPV 31 detected
- Range
- No high-risk types detected
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-risk HPV DNA (individually typed) | HPV 31 detected | n/a | No high-risk types detected | Detected |
Doctor’s note (example)
One high-risk type has been found and named. Knowing the type matters most on a repeat test, because it is the same type persisting that carries the risk. A clinician would usually read this alongside your NHS cervical screening history.
Values above are examples. Your report shows your own results with the laboratory’s units and reference range for your age and sex, reviewed, signed and released by a GMC-registered doctor.
How it works
- Your kit arrivesPosted to your door, with instructions and what you need to send your sample back.
- You take your sampleA swab you take yourself at home, using the kit we post you
- The laboratory analyses itYour sample is processed for the measurements included in this test. Lab processing typically takes 2 to 3 working days from receipt of your sample.
- A doctor reviews and releases itA GMC-registered doctor reads every result and signs the report before it reaches you.
- Sample
- Home swab kit
- Preparation
- No fasting required
- Who it's for
- Women · ages 25+
How to prepare
What we can and can’t tell you
The reference range beside each result is the laboratory’s own. A result in range is not a clean bill of health and a result outside it is not a diagnosis. Most ranges cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one range. No test result replaces an examination or your own doctor’s judgement, and none of these panels is a cancer screening programme.
Read the full note
HPV results are reported as detected or not detected, not against a normal range. Most HPV infections clear on their own without causing any harm, so a detected result is common and is not a diagnosis of cancer or of cell changes. A not-detected result means a lower chance of cell changes over the next few years, but no test finds every abnormality.
This test sits alongside NHS cervical screening rather than replacing it, and symptoms such as bleeding between periods, after sex or after the menopause need your GP whatever the result says.
Frequently asked questions
Why pay more for individual typing?
Because persistence of the same type is what matters. If you tested positive last year, knowing whether this is the same type carrying on or a different new one changes how the result is read. If this is your first HPV test, the grouped version answers the question just as well for less.
Which types are considered highest risk?
Types 16 and 18 are behind most cervical cancer worldwide, which is why programmes single them out. The other high-risk types carry a lower but real risk, and the report names each one found.
Does the vaccine mean I do not need this?
No. The vaccine protects against the types behind most cervical cancers but not all of them, so vaccinated people should still go for cervical screening. This test shows only an infection you have now, not one you have had and cleared.
How do I take the sample?
The kit contains a small vaginal sampler with step-by-step instructions. It takes under a minute, needs no speculum, and goes back in the prepaid envelope.
How long do results take?
The laboratory typically takes 2 to 3 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.
Can I choose a home kit or a clinic?
This test uses a swab you take yourself at home, not a blood sample. The kit arrives by post with step-by-step instructions and what you need to send it back.
Is a doctor involved?
Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.
Is it confidential?
Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.
What happens to my sample and results?
Your sample is analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads every result and signs the report before it is released to your secure portal, so nothing reaches you unreviewed. HPV is reported as detected or not detected, with the types found where your test names them. A self-taken sample cannot be checked for cell changes, so if high-risk HPV is found the usual next step is a cervical screening test taken by a nurse or doctor, arranged through your GP. Results are not added to your NHS screening record, so keep taking up your NHS cervical screening invitations. If a result needs urgent attention, the reviewing doctor is alerted straight away and we contact you by phone the same working day rather than leaving it in the portal for you to find.
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