STD
STD Testing – The Basics
Everyone, sexually active or not, needs to have basic knowledge of STD's and STD testing.
Anyone who is sexually active should receive routine STD testing. This means anyone who participates in sexual activity of any kind, not just vaginal intercourse, is at risk. The risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease is increased for those who have more than one sexual partner.
When it comes to STD testing, the sooner you have it done, the better. Like most diseases, the earlier it is caught, the easier it will be to treat. If you have symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease, the best thing to do is to have yourself and your partner tested. If you're thinking of becoming sexually involved with a new partner, both you and your partner should be tested first. If you have more than one sexual partner, STD testing is recommended yearly.
The Importance of STD Testing
STD testing is important to protect your health and the health of your partner and future partners. The truth is that most people who transmit STDs don't even know they have one. That knowledge can be obtained in a simple test and can help protect both you and your partner.
The spreading of STD's is preventable. Diseases such as Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are easily curable with simple antibiotics. But in order to treat these STDs, you must be aware of them. STD testing is the first step.
You have a responsibility to receive STD testing, not only to protect your partner and to prevent the spreading of STDs, but also to yourself, your body, and your health.
Over 45 million Americans currently have been exposed to at least one STD, with genital herpes being the most common one. Sexually transmitted diseases do not always show symptoms. Some are silent, and can only be detected through blood or urine tests. Failure to test for the most common diseases can pit you or your partner at risk for infection. Routine testing for the most common sexually transmitted diseases will help prevent the spread of infection in the community.
Our confidential STD tests include comprehensive panels that test for multiple bacterial and viral infectious agents. While any of the individual blood or urine tests can be run separately, many of our clients prefer the convenience of testing for multiple infections at one time. We offer two panels and individual tests.
The Comprehensive STD Panel (urine and blood) tests for several sexually transmitted diseases at the same time at one low price, including HIV, Syphilis, Herpes I and II, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Hepatitis B and C.
If you’ve had unprotected sex and notice unusual symptoms, you could be infected with a sexually transmitted disease. Even if you don’t have any visible symptoms, it’s possible to have an STD and spread to another.
If you engage in risky behavior (unsafe sex), it is recommended that you get tested frequently to prevent transmission to others. If there’s a chance you’ve been exposed to an STD, it’s critical to find out as soon as possible. Results from the Comprehensive STD Panel are usually available within 24 to 48 hours. Find out today.
People with one STD are more likely to contract another one. That’s why we offer this comprehensive panel, to test for all major STDs at one low price.
BASIC STD PANEL: Our Basic STD panel tests for all of the above infections except for Hepatitis B & C.
INDIVIDUAL TESTS:
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is most commonly transmitted sexually, but can also be contracted through IV drug use and less likely, blood transfusions. It is the virus that causes AIDS. This condition damages your immune system and can lead to serious illness, infections and many other symptoms.
There are two parts to the HIV test at ON DEMAND MEDICAL TESTING
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The first part is an initial blood screen. A negative result means there are no HIV antibodies in your blood, but false positives can occasionally occur.
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If the screen is positive, the lab will run a confirmation test called a Western Blot.
Even if you’ve been infected with HIV, you may not know it right away because you can look and feel healthy for many years afterward. It’s important to know that you have to be HIV infected (HIV positive) and turn ill to have AIDS. While HIV antibodies can be discovered 3 months after exposure, it’s best to be certain by being tested again at 6 months.
Chlamydia and Gonorrhea by Nucleic Acid Amplification Test.
Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are both sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that are caused by a bacterium and have similar symptoms such as discharge and painful urination. Because of the similarity, ON DEMAND MEDICAL TESTING offers a Value Panel that test for both Chlamydia and Gonorrhea for one low price - called the Chlamydia and Gonorrhea by Nucleic Acid Amplification Test.
HERPESELECT (HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS 1 AND 2 (IgG). TYPE SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES
There are two types of herpes – Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1) and Simplex Virus-2 (HSV-2). HSV-1 is very common among people (70%) and they usually come into contact with the virus from an oral infection as a child.
Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can cause genital herpes, a sexually transmitted disease.
This Herpes Simplex Virus I/II, IgG Test measures the level of IgG antibodies (your body’s immune response to the virus) in your blood. It is an accurate blood test because it tells you which virus the IgG antibodies are responding to. In other words, this test will tell you if you are positive for HSV-1 or HSV-2.
Many of those infected are unaware they have it. If you’ve had unprotected sex (including oral) with an infected person, or someone you suspect, you may have been infected. It may take up to 3 months after a possible infection for HSV to show up in blood work.
In addition, some scientific evidence suggests that people with HSV are more likely to contract HIV and other serious sexually transmitted diseases. That’s why we offer a Comprehensive STD Panel.
The Syphilis Test detects antibodies to the bacterium that cause the disease in blood, body fluid or tissue. It will tell you if you’re infected or not.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that is can be spread through oral sex and sexual intercourse. If you’re having unprotected sex (including oral) and you have symptoms associated with this disease, you may want to get tested for syphilis. Keep in mind that if you’ve been exposed to syphilis, it make take up to 3 months for the antibodies to show up in your blood.
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Hepatitis B can be contracted through sharing contaminated needles, having unprotected sex, or being exposed to infected blood from another person.
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Hepatitis C can be spread by blood from contaminated needles during drug use or tattooing as well as by having unprotected sex.
If left untreated, hepatitis can lead to fatigue or more serious issues like liver failure. What’s most disturbing is how hepatitis can remain dormant in your body for years and cause no outward physical symptoms.