Gold　nanoparticles　(AuNPs)　in　aggregated　state　have　a　strong　near　infrared　region　(NIR)　absorption　and　the　causes　a　much　stronger　photothermal　effect　than　that　of　the　dispersed　AuNPs.　Strand-displacement　amplification　(SDA)　can　produce　large　amount　of　single-stranded　DNA　(ssDNA),　which　in　turn　effectively　prevent　AuNPs　from　aggregation.　In　this　study,　these　characteristics　had　been　applied　to　design　a　photothermal　biosensor　for　human　papilloma　virus　(HPV　and　HPV16　were　chosen　as　model　target)　detection.　In　the　absence　of　HPV16,　AuNPs　was　in　the　aggregated　state　and　large　temperature　rise　can　be　detected　after　the　irradiation　by　808 nm　laser.　The　presence　of　HPV16　triggers　the　SDA　reaction　with　the　help　of　Bst　DNA　polymerase　and　Nt.BstNBI　nicking　endonuclease　resulting　in　the　production　of　large　amounts　of　ssDNA;　this　protects　unmodified　AuNPs　from　salt-induced　aggregation.　Therefore,　AuNPs　was　in　a　dispersed　state　and　the　temperature　change　was　not　significant　after　the　irradiation　of　808 nm　laser.　The　difference　of　the　temperature　changing　can　be　applied　for　the　quantitative　detection　of　HPV16　using　a　thermometer　as　readout.　The　linear　response　range　is　1.0　fM　~　50 pM　with　a　detection　limit　of　0.3　fM.　The　proposed　method　has　been　applied　to　detect　HPV16　in　clinical　cervical　sample　and　is　competent　for　clinical　analysis.　Graphical　abstract:　[Figure　not　available:　see　fulltext.]　©　2022,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Austria,　part　of　Springer　Nature.