It’s virus. I think like flu virus it comes and goes. I’ve been negative for more than 5 years by now.
You may be interested in this:
Once I have HPV, do I have it forever?
Most HPV infections in young men and women are transient, lasting no more than one or two years. Usually, the body clears the infection on its own. It is estimated that the infection will persist in only about 1% of women. It is those infections that persist which may lead to cancer. There is some research that suggests that the virus can hide deep in the affected mucosa or skin for several years, below detectable levels. These are called “latent” infections. Having an HPV-positive test followed by an HPV-negative test might mean two different things: that the virus has been completely cleared by the body, or that the level of infection is so small that laboratory tests cannot detect it. Thus, HPV might “reappear” several years after an infection (whether or not it was treated) when the immune system weakens (because of aging, pregnancy, illness, etc.) and then cause lesions. It is unknown what proportion of HPV infections go latent, nor what proportions are truly cleared by the body.