The human papillomavirus (HPV) test detects the presence of human papillomavirus, a virus that can lead to the development of genital warts, abnormal cervical cells or cervical cancer.Your doctor might recommend the HPV test if:Your Pap test was abnormal, showing atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS)You're age 30 or olderThe HPV test is available only to women; no HPV test yet exists to detect the virus in men. However, men can be infected with HPV and pass the virus along to their sex partners.