Sexual intercourse is the main, but not the only, way of HPV infection. Condoms do not completely stop the transmission of HPV. HPV infection is very common and the probability of being infected with HPV during a lifetime is very high once you start having sex. 50% to 80% of sexually active women are infected with HPV. There are more than 100 subtypes of HPV, divided into low-risk and high-risk types. 50% to 90% of HPV infections can be cleared by the immune system within a few months to 2 years after infection and do not cause long-term harm. Only persistent infection with high-risk HPV types progresses to malignant lesions. definition of persistent HPV infection: two consecutive tests for the same high-risk HPV type at intervals of more than one year are considered persistent infection. So when you get a positive HPV test, there is no need to panic too much, as long as the cervical cytology is normal and you follow up regularly.