Why would i have one hpv test be positive, and the next negative?

Couple of ways...: Possible for an hpv test to be positive in a patient with a later test being negative. A couple of explanations: 1. Variability in sampling: if the first test collected cells from a warty / infected area and the second test did not sample the warty area, the tests could both be "correct". Tests are only as good as samples. 2. Patient's immune response may have also have cleared the infection.