SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES: BLOOD TESTS, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT

After the examination, blood tests for infections such as HIV, syphilis, hepatitis, or herpes may be performed. A health care provider will explain all the tests, what a positive or negative result means, and how much they cost and will decide with you which tests need to be done.

Depending on when your last sexual contact took place, you may want to wait to have some of these tests done. For example, the most common blood test for HIV is unlikely to show an accurate result immediately after a person has been infected. It may take up to three to six months after infection to show a positive blood test for HIV. Your health care provider should explain this, so a decision can be made about which tests are appropriate at this time. You may decide to come back at a later time for these tests so that they will be more accurate, or you may want to test now and retest at a later time.

Make sure you know how you are going to find out the results of your tests. Are you supposed to call or is your health care provider supposed to call you? Do you need to return to the office or clinic to learn the results of your tests? If you don’t get a telephone call, don’t assume that everything was normal. Sometimes offices and clinics are understaffed, and making even important phone calls can be overlooked. Be sure to find out your results.