STD Screening Specialist

Is STD screening necessary if I have no symptoms?

Since not all infections present symptoms, Dr. Kainth recommends you still get tested if you’re sexually active, particularly with multiple partners. While male and female condoms provide a barrier against infection, neither solution is 100% effective. The sexually transmitted diseases patients should test, and the frequency of these tests, vary depending on certain conditions.

What are these testing conditions?

Conditions depend on both risk groups and the likelihood of an STD developing without symptoms.

• Chlamydia and gonorrhea: Women under 25 and sexually active, or women over 25 involved with new or multiple partners should screen annually for these STDs. Women are more likely to remain symptom-free from these than men.
• HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis: Request screening if you’ve tested positive for another STD, you’ve had multiple partners since your last test, you’ve uses intravenous drugs, or you belong to a high-risk profile. Testing in preparation for pregnancy is also prudent.
• Genital herpes: There’s no reliable screening test for herpes, which may be transmitted from someone who has no symptoms and who may not be aware they carry the virus. Blood testing isn’t always conclusive, with both false-positive and false-negative results. Herpes is most commonly diagnosed from tissue samples taken at the time of an outbreak.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV): There’s no male screening test, and men are only diagnosed by visual inspection or through biopsy of genital warts. In women, HPV testing accompanies Pap smear tests. These also check for cervical cancer, a possible result of the virus.

Are home tests effective?

While home testing proves promising for HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea, it’s not as reliable as tests given under medical supervision. Though you can collect the samples in your own home, these must be sent to a testing facility, and more than 1 sample may be required. Further, home tests produce false-positive results more frequently than lab tests. Should you have a positive home test, schedule an appointment with Dr. Kainth to confirm the results.