Public Version PSA on STI Testing (updated)
I also encourage reading of the comments from the last time I posted this....didn't know how to carry them forward too.
What should your "Negative" STI screen include?
A Full Screen should include results for:
Hep A and/or Hep A Vaccination Status
Hep B and/or Hep B Vaccination Status
Hep C
HIV
Syphilis
Gonorrhea / Chlamydia (+LGV*)
Bacterial Vaginosis (girls)
Yeast (girls AND boys, otherwise known as genital thrush)
Trichomonas
HPV (check for growths) and/or HPV Vaccination Status
NGU
Optional:
Herpes (more on this below)
*Start PSA*
So many family doctor's offices and student clinics only give you the HIV and G/C tests when asked for an STI screen; or worse yet, actively try and convince you not to get tested if you don't have symptoms/haven't had sex with "someone unsavory". These attitudes are major irritants for me, as they cause the following:
1)The former engenders people who say/believe they have their testing up to date, when all they've had done was an HIV test. Yes, it is good to know that the person is negative, but there are So.Many.Other infections out there now! GC, Herpes, NGU, Hepatitis.... Thorough testing (including getting ALL of the applicable holes swabbed for GC etc, which you as a consumer usually have to ask for) and being an informed consumer about what a complete STI panel is is critical.
2) Waiting until you have had sex with "Someone Unsavory" to get tested, aka the roundabout slut shaming present here, ticks me off. I get that some doctor's don't want to waste their time/testing on people who many not have anything, but prevention is a worth a pound of gold. The health profession isn't very aware how hookup culture and dating(especially in some communities) have changed. Not only that, what are the current stats these days, that one in four couples have had a partner cheat? Yearly checkups (while stressful for the person choosing to get them), are ultimately a relief to have. Hell, these days with our parents having things, you can have an STI (though the definition doesn't work here, as not sex acquired) via blood transfer, a difficult birth(with your parents having something), or even spit used to clean your face when a toddler.
Sometimes clinics or doctor's use both of these methods; UBC Student Clinic, when asked for a full STI panel, wrote me a scrip for a blood test for HIV, and wanted me to pee in a cup for GC. That's it. When called on it, I was queried about "If I had had an encounter that worried me, or had symptoms", and I got quite the attitude when I answered in the negative. Didn't go back their again for that.
My first two family doctors(one in Nanaimo, one in Victoria) , required ten minute long arguments to test me at all, since, being serially monogamous at the time, they didn't perceive there to be any risk.
BCIT Student Clinic, when asked for the same "Full STI Panel", did give HIV, Hepatitis's, and the GC, but still lacked Herpes, HPV, Syphilis, NGU, etc. No attitude though, just said they don't tend to bother testing the others without request or symptoms. If I hadn't been an informed consumer though, I would have walked away from the clinic, happy as a clam and fully deluded that I was "Negative".
Being informed about your health(and the testing needed to confirm it) is soooo important!
*end PSA*
Applicable definitions:
STI: aka Sexually Transmitted Infections, or Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
NGU Non-gonococcal urethritis: The newest in Sexually transmitted infections. Basically a urethral infection caused by some unknown bacteria or virus that is "non gonorheae" ^^ yeah, specific, I know. Curable with antibiotics. Link Here for more info.
LGV: Leukogranuloma venereum: A cousin of chlamydia; characterized by lymph node involvement along the groin. Now only tested for if your chlamydia test comes up positive, and suspected to be the cause of recurring/hard to treat chlamydia. Still Treatable, once your doctor knows what it is.
HPV: This is a tough one, as most sexually active people have some version of the virus before twenty. Only about ten versions cause genital warts. Symptoms, if you get them, show up two or three weeks to three years after exposure, so it's also hard to nail down where you got something without testing. You can have the virus in your mouth, your sexual organs, or on your skin. That said, there is no routine test for HPV in men, and only the pap smear in Canada for women, unless you have a visible growth. Then the gov't may choose to do a blood test to type you, to see if the type you have is a higher risk for cancer later in life.
Molluscum Contagiosum: A viral skin infection that self resolves in a six months. Spread skin to skin contact, condoms not a 100% protection against. Two week incubation period, and can also spread to face/eyelids/trunk. Also can be spread in childhood, trunk to trunk among daycare aged children. Diagnosed by exam, bumps have a visible indent in the centre(donut bumps).
Sidenote on Herpes Testing in Canada:
Herpes testing is not routinely done in Canada. Stats these days are three in four people have acquired oral herpes, or cold sores on the mouth, and one in five people have acquired genital herpes, many medical professionals feel that it would just hurt self esteem to test to be sure you have it. That said, having oral herpes does increase your bodies resistance to being co-infected in your genital area as well, after the first outbreak, so it can be nice to know. There are three tests that can be done:
One, the blood test, can say either Yes/No to the herpes virus being present. That includes both oral or genital, so most will come up positive. Once you are positive, you will stay positive... and if you know you have cold sores in your mouth, this doesn't help to diagnose genital herpes.
Two, the skin swab: Usually you go into a clinic when you have a suspicious rash/bump/redness/zit (that you suspect may be herpes), they poke it until fluid comes out, and culture the fluid. If this comes back posiitve (and the rash/etc was on your genital area, you get the diagnosis of having genital herpes. You still don't know whether it's type I or II, as either can be either place.
Three: If you have a known partner with herpes, BC currently has a third test. (Blood test). It will test your partner and you for the type of herpes they have(I, II, or both), and you, to see what your resistance/risk factor is with them. You need both people to go in at the same time, and to agree to come in for results at the same time. This is free in this case only. I can chat more about this is a different post, if requested).
Here is a handout that the BCCDC has created about herpes in general.
What should your "Negative" STI screen include?
A Full Screen should include results for:
Hep A and/or Hep A Vaccination Status
Hep B and/or Hep B Vaccination Status
Hep C
HIV
Syphilis
Gonorrhea / Chlamydia (+LGV*)
Bacterial Vaginosis (girls)
Yeast (girls AND boys, otherwise known as genital thrush)
Trichomonas
HPV (check for growths) and/or HPV Vaccination Status
NGU
Optional:
Herpes (more on this below)
*Start PSA*
So many family doctor's offices and student clinics only give you the HIV and G/C tests when asked for an STI screen; or worse yet, actively try and convince you not to get tested if you don't have symptoms/haven't had sex with "someone unsavory". These attitudes are major irritants for me, as they cause the following:
1)The former engenders people who say/believe they have their testing up to date, when all they've had done was an HIV test. Yes, it is good to know that the person is negative, but there are So.Many.Other infections out there now! GC, Herpes, NGU, Hepatitis.... Thorough testing (including getting ALL of the applicable holes swabbed for GC etc, which you as a consumer usually have to ask for) and being an informed consumer about what a complete STI panel is is critical.
2) Waiting until you have had sex with "Someone Unsavory" to get tested, aka the roundabout slut shaming present here, ticks me off. I get that some doctor's don't want to waste their time/testing on people who many not have anything, but prevention is a worth a pound of gold. The health profession isn't very aware how hookup culture and dating(especially in some communities) have changed. Not only that, what are the current stats these days, that one in four couples have had a partner cheat? Yearly checkups (while stressful for the person choosing to get them), are ultimately a relief to have. Hell, these days with our parents having things, you can have an STI (though the definition doesn't work here, as not sex acquired) via blood transfer, a difficult birth(with your parents having something), or even spit used to clean your face when a toddler.
Sometimes clinics or doctor's use both of these methods; UBC Student Clinic, when asked for a full STI panel, wrote me a scrip for a blood test for HIV, and wanted me to pee in a cup for GC. That's it. When called on it, I was queried about "If I had had an encounter that worried me, or had symptoms", and I got quite the attitude when I answered in the negative. Didn't go back their again for that.
My first two family doctors(one in Nanaimo, one in Victoria) , required ten minute long arguments to test me at all, since, being serially monogamous at the time, they didn't perceive there to be any risk.
BCIT Student Clinic, when asked for the same "Full STI Panel", did give HIV, Hepatitis's, and the GC, but still lacked Herpes, HPV, Syphilis, NGU, etc. No attitude though, just said they don't tend to bother testing the others without request or symptoms. If I hadn't been an informed consumer though, I would have walked away from the clinic, happy as a clam and fully deluded that I was "Negative".
Being informed about your health(and the testing needed to confirm it) is soooo important!
*end PSA*
Applicable definitions:
STI: aka Sexually Transmitted Infections, or Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
NGU Non-gonococcal urethritis: The newest in Sexually transmitted infections. Basically a urethral infection caused by some unknown bacteria or virus that is "non gonorheae" ^^ yeah, specific, I know. Curable with antibiotics. Link Here for more info.
LGV: Leukogranuloma venereum: A cousin of chlamydia; characterized by lymph node involvement along the groin. Now only tested for if your chlamydia test comes up positive, and suspected to be the cause of recurring/hard to treat chlamydia. Still Treatable, once your doctor knows what it is.
HPV: This is a tough one, as most sexually active people have some version of the virus before twenty. Only about ten versions cause genital warts. Symptoms, if you get them, show up two or three weeks to three years after exposure, so it's also hard to nail down where you got something without testing. You can have the virus in your mouth, your sexual organs, or on your skin. That said, there is no routine test for HPV in men, and only the pap smear in Canada for women, unless you have a visible growth. Then the gov't may choose to do a blood test to type you, to see if the type you have is a higher risk for cancer later in life.
Molluscum Contagiosum: A viral skin infection that self resolves in a six months. Spread skin to skin contact, condoms not a 100% protection against. Two week incubation period, and can also spread to face/eyelids/trunk. Also can be spread in childhood, trunk to trunk among daycare aged children. Diagnosed by exam, bumps have a visible indent in the centre(donut bumps).
Sidenote on Herpes Testing in Canada:
Herpes testing is not routinely done in Canada. Stats these days are three in four people have acquired oral herpes, or cold sores on the mouth, and one in five people have acquired genital herpes, many medical professionals feel that it would just hurt self esteem to test to be sure you have it. That said, having oral herpes does increase your bodies resistance to being co-infected in your genital area as well, after the first outbreak, so it can be nice to know. There are three tests that can be done:
One, the blood test, can say either Yes/No to the herpes virus being present. That includes both oral or genital, so most will come up positive. Once you are positive, you will stay positive... and if you know you have cold sores in your mouth, this doesn't help to diagnose genital herpes.
Two, the skin swab: Usually you go into a clinic when you have a suspicious rash/bump/redness/zit (that you suspect may be herpes), they poke it until fluid comes out, and culture the fluid. If this comes back posiitve (and the rash/etc was on your genital area, you get the diagnosis of having genital herpes. You still don't know whether it's type I or II, as either can be either place.
Three: If you have a known partner with herpes, BC currently has a third test. (Blood test). It will test your partner and you for the type of herpes they have(I, II, or both), and you, to see what your resistance/risk factor is with them. You need both people to go in at the same time, and to agree to come in for results at the same time. This is free in this case only. I can chat more about this is a different post, if requested).
Here is a handout that the BCCDC has created about herpes in general.