Pap smears are not STI tests; however, doctors can test the same sample for HPV. If the results identify HPV DNA in the sample, it means the person has the virus.
HPV infections usually clear up on their own, but the CDC notes that they can linger.
Researchers associate persistent infections with some types of high risk HPVs with cervical cancer and, less frequently, cancers of the vulva, vagina, anus, and penis.