Testing for STDs: Different STDs and their tests

If we lived in a perfect world, every person would go to the doctor before they decided to embark on a sexual relationship and get tested for sexually transmitted diseases. Then, each person would stock up on condoms and dental dams and use them properly for each sexual encounter. There would be no AIDS epidemic, no HPV, no chlamydia, no gonorrhea. Unfortunately, we do not live in that utopia. More than likely, most people about to begin a sexual relationship do so at a moment’s notice and barely have time to get the condom out of the package (that is if a condom is even available). Many people will likely need to get tested for various sexually transmitted diseases in their lifetime. Here is a rundown of several sexually transmitted diseases and the methods used to test for them.
 
Chlamydia/Gonorrhea
 
Both of these diseases are tested in the same way. A physician can test for chlamydia either with a swab test or a urine test. With a swab test, the sample is obtained from a woman’s cervix or from a man’s urethra with a swab.  It is suggested that if a woman is sexually active, these tests should be administered annually. Also if a man is sexually active with other men, these tests should also be part of his annual routine. If these infections are left untreated, they can result in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in a woman, which could eventually lead to infertility. Many who are infected with chlamydia usually do not show any symptoms; because of this, many cases are left untreated.
 
Genital Herpes
 
There is no tried and true test for genital herpes. While a blood sample could identify an infection, if the patient is not currently in the midst of an actual herpes outbreak, the results could be inconclusive. However, if a patient is experiencing an outbreak with lesions or blisters, a physician could obtain a tissue sample from these blisters to make a better diagnosis.
 
HPV (Human Papillomaviruses)
 
Like many other STDs, HPV can be transmitted despite a lack of symptoms in the carrier. Because there are over 100 known HPVs, the symptoms vary across the board. Some HPVs are responsible for causing genital warts, while others are responsible for causing cervical cancer. Still others never show any symptom in the carrier. HPV is tested in women by collecting a tissue sample from the cervical canal. At present, there is no HPV test for men unless the man has symptoms like genital warts.
 
HIV/AIDS

Probably the most nerve-wracking test of all of these sexually transmitted diseases is the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test. If you have ever had unprotected sex with any partner, you are strongly advised to take an HIV test. In most cases, a blood sample is drawn to test for HIV, although it can also be detected with a urine or saliva test. In any case, if the test returns a positive result, it is usually administered again for confirmation.

Remember, not all STDs have symptoms. In fact, most don’t; if you plan on beginning a new sexual relationship or have ever had unprotected sex, it would be wise to speak to your physician about having a standard series of STD tests.