What helps get rid of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 16?

HPV 16 Infection: Natural Clearance and Management

There is no antiviral treatment to "get rid of" HPV 16 infection—the virus typically clears spontaneously through your immune system, and management focuses on surveillance and treatment of any precancerous changes that develop, not the virus itself. 1

Understanding HPV 16 Natural History

Most HPV infections, including HPV 16, clear spontaneously without causing health problems. 1 However, HPV 16 is unique among HPV types:

• HPV 16 is the highest-risk oncogenic type, responsible for approximately 50-60% of cervical cancers and a significant proportion of other anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers 2, 3
• Persistent HPV 16 infection carries substantially elevated cancer risk: The 10-year cumulative incidence of high-grade precancer (CIN3) or cancer is 17.2% in HPV 16-positive women, compared to only 3.0% in women positive for other high-risk HPV types 4
• HPV 16 lesions are less likely to spontaneously regress compared to other HPV types, with CIN II lesions from HPV 16 showing reduced regression rates 1

No Direct Antiviral Treatment Exists

No antiviral agents are available for eradicating or treating HPV infections. 1 The key management principles are:

• Treatments target HPV-caused lesions (genital warts, precancerous changes), not the virus itself 1
• Your immune system is responsible for viral clearance—immunosuppression from medications, HIV, organ transplantation, or chronic corticosteroids increases risk of persistent infection 1
• Treatment options for HPV-associated disease include surgery, cryotherapy, and ablative procedures for precancerous lesions, and surgery/chemo/radiotherapy for cancer 1

Surveillance Strategy for HPV 16

Because HPV 16 carries such elevated cancer risk, more intensive surveillance is warranted:

For Women:

• Continue regular cervical cancer screening regardless of HPV status—screening intervals should not be extended even if you're HPV vaccinated 1, 5
• Women aged >30 years with HPV 16 detected should have more frequent surveillance than those with other high-risk types, given the 17.2% 10-year risk of high-grade disease 4
• Immunocompromised women should be tested twice during the first year after diagnosis, then annually thereafter 1
• HPV 16/18 genotyping helps risk-stratify patients—those positive for HPV 16 or 18 warrant closer follow-up than those with other oncogenic types 1

For All Individuals:

• Monitor for any visible lesions or symptoms in genital, anal, or oropharyngeal areas 2
• Screening for anal or oropharyngeal HPV is not routinely recommended in the general population, though may be considered in high-risk groups 1

Vaccination Considerations

HPV vaccination after infection provides limited benefit for the types you're already infected with, but can still protect against other HPV types:

• Vaccine efficacy is only 44% in those already infected with HPV 16 or 18 before vaccination, compared to 99% in those not previously infected 1
• However, vaccination can still protect against other vaccine-covered types (the nonavalent vaccine covers 9 types total) 6, 5
• The vaccine is safe in HPV-positive individuals with equivalent safety profiles demonstrated in clinical trials 6
• HPV testing before vaccination is not recommended as there are no good measures of past exposure to all HPV types 6

Risk Reduction Strategies

While you cannot directly eliminate existing HPV 16 infection, you can optimize conditions for immune clearance and prevent transmission:

• Avoid immunosuppression when possible—discuss with your physician if you're on immunosuppressive medications 1
• Smoking cessation is critical—smoking is a risk factor for persistent HPV infection and progression to cancer 7
• Limit alcohol use, which has been identified as a risk factor for persistent infection 7
• Consistent condom use may reduce transmission to partners (70% reduction demonstrated in one study), though HPV can infect areas not covered by condoms 1, 5
• Inform current sexual partners about your HPV status, though infection in one partner does not indicate infidelity as HPV is extremely common and often asymptomatic 1

Critical Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do not assume you can "cure" the infection—focus on surveillance for disease, not viral eradication 1
• Do not skip screening because you're vaccinated—vaccination does not eliminate the need for continued cervical cancer screening 1, 5
• Do not assume partners need HPV testing—within ongoing relationships, both partners are usually already infected even without visible signs 1
• Do not delay evaluation of any new lesions or abnormal screening results, particularly given HPV 16's high oncogenic potential 4