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12 Week STD testing?
Hi Doctor. Thank you for all the good work you do on here, and thank you in advance for helping me.
In late January i had a fairly brief, unprotected vaginal sex exposure. Afterwards I had no obvious symptoms whatsoever.
Because of this, and because it has been about six years since I last tested, I decided to wait 12 weeks, the length of time I see everywhere as conclusive for STD testing. But I found out a few weeks ago I will be leaving the country for a month or so, and will not have access to a testing facility. So my question is this: if I wait until the last possible day before I leave, it will put me 4 days shy of 12 weeks. Would this matter in terms of the tests being conclusive? I want to be 100% certain so I can move on, but would also really like to get this taken care of before my trip. Peace of mind is my goal, and I could hold out another month if I have to, but if you think it is not medically necessary, obviously I would trust you!
FYI - HIV and HSV2 are my main concerns. It's through Quest - not sure which HIV test they use, but the HSV2 test is HerpeSelect IGG. (By the way: I thought I saw somewhere that HSV2 can take as long as 16 weeks to be conclusive? Is that true? Thought 12 weeks was always the standard....)
Thank you again for your help !
In late January i had a fairly brief, unprotected vaginal sex exposure. Afterwards I had no obvious symptoms whatsoever.
Because of this, and because it has been about six years since I last tested, I decided to wait 12 weeks, the length of time I see everywhere as conclusive for STD testing. But I found out a few weeks ago I will be leaving the country for a month or so, and will not have access to a testing facility. So my question is this: if I wait until the last possible day before I leave, it will put me 4 days shy of 12 weeks. Would this matter in terms of the tests being conclusive? I want to be 100% certain so I can move on, but would also really like to get this taken care of before my trip. Peace of mind is my goal, and I could hold out another month if I have to, but if you think it is not medically necessary, obviously I would trust you!
FYI - HIV and HSV2 are my main concerns. It's through Quest - not sure which HIV test they use, but the HSV2 test is HerpeSelect IGG. (By the way: I thought I saw somewhere that HSV2 can take as long as 16 weeks to be conclusive? Is that true? Thought 12 weeks was always the standard....)
Thank you again for your help !
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The HSV blood tests are pretty good, but far from perfect. Just look at the two most recent new threads on this forum! No STD experts ever recommend testing after any particular exposure unless especially high risk for herpes -- and usually not even then.
There is no hard time line for any test. With a new HSV infection, some people may have positive results as early as 2-3 weeks, but in others it takes 3-4 months. But it never reaches 100%. For HSV-1, 10-15% of infected people never have positive tests.
I recommend you forget HSV testing and move on with confidence you aren't infected. There is almost no chance you were infected from a single sexual exposure. For very good reasons, STD clinics never do HSV testing in this situation!
That will end this thread. Take care and stop worrying so much.
There is no hard time line for any test. With a new HSV infection, some people may have positive results as early as 2-3 weeks, but in others it takes 3-4 months. But it never reaches 100%. For HSV-1, 10-15% of infected people never have positive tests.
I recommend you forget HSV testing and move on with confidence you aren't infected. There is almost no chance you were infected from a single sexual exposure. For very good reasons, STD clinics never do HSV testing in this situation!
That will end this thread. Take care and stop worrying so much.
Thank you doctor for your fast, detailed response!
The only part I'm a little confused on is the HSV2.
Did you recommend not testing for that because of the (total) lack of symptoms, or because the tests are inaccurate? (On this - it sounds like false positives are more likely if anything?) Is the Igg blood test I mentioned not reliable?
It's a bit of a moot point anyway, as the HIV testing comes with HSV 1 and 2 as a package. So going on that, would you say I am at an okay time frame since my last exposure? I was shocked to see their site said average was 25 days for a new HSV infection to show. Not sure about that, but tell me the 4 month thing is either untrue or extremely rare?
Sorry to hound you! Can you tell I'm ready to be done with this?
:)
Thank you again!
The only part I'm a little confused on is the HSV2.
Did you recommend not testing for that because of the (total) lack of symptoms, or because the tests are inaccurate? (On this - it sounds like false positives are more likely if anything?) Is the Igg blood test I mentioned not reliable?
It's a bit of a moot point anyway, as the HIV testing comes with HSV 1 and 2 as a package. So going on that, would you say I am at an okay time frame since my last exposure? I was shocked to see their site said average was 25 days for a new HSV infection to show. Not sure about that, but tell me the 4 month thing is either untrue or extremely rare?
Sorry to hound you! Can you tell I'm ready to be done with this?
:)
Thank you again!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your kind comments about our services.
Thanks also for a responsible attitude toward STD prevention. Occasional routine testing makes sense for most people who are sexually active outside mutually monogamous relationships.
However, testing times for reliable results are not as rigid as you have come to understand. There is nothing magic about 12 weeks; it's just a general ball park figure. There is no significant difference in test reliability a few days short of that. Here is a quick summary of STD/HIV testing times after the last possible exposure.
Gonorrhea and chlamydia (urine, or urethral or vaginal swab): 2-3 days for gonorrhea, 3-5 days for chlamydia.
Syphilis: 6 weeks.
HIV: 4 weeks (duo test) to 6 weeks (antibody test). For a discussion of why 4-6 weeks is OK despite official advice for testing at 3 months, see http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1704700.
HSV: Testing generally is not recommended unless there are symptoms or for regular (not one-time) partners of known infected partners. If testing is done, 3 months is recommended, but in rare cases it takes 4 months. But a few days short 3 months probably makes no difference.
HPV: No tests available.
Bottom line: Have a urine gonorrhea/chlamydia test, and a blood test for syphilis and HIV. You don't need to wait until the last minute for any of them. Don't get tested for HSV or anything else. (Just scan the forum for innumerable examples of misleading results for HSV testing. Don't risk it.) But if you insist on HSV testing, the odds of infection from any single exposure are so low that you shouldn't focus on the most recent exposure. Just get tested at the same time as the other tests are done.
I hope this has helped. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Thanks also for a responsible attitude toward STD prevention. Occasional routine testing makes sense for most people who are sexually active outside mutually monogamous relationships.
However, testing times for reliable results are not as rigid as you have come to understand. There is nothing magic about 12 weeks; it's just a general ball park figure. There is no significant difference in test reliability a few days short of that. Here is a quick summary of STD/HIV testing times after the last possible exposure.
Gonorrhea and chlamydia (urine, or urethral or vaginal swab): 2-3 days for gonorrhea, 3-5 days for chlamydia.
Syphilis: 6 weeks.
HIV: 4 weeks (duo test) to 6 weeks (antibody test). For a discussion of why 4-6 weeks is OK despite official advice for testing at 3 months, see http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1704700.
HSV: Testing generally is not recommended unless there are symptoms or for regular (not one-time) partners of known infected partners. If testing is done, 3 months is recommended, but in rare cases it takes 4 months. But a few days short 3 months probably makes no difference.
HPV: No tests available.
Bottom line: Have a urine gonorrhea/chlamydia test, and a blood test for syphilis and HIV. You don't need to wait until the last minute for any of them. Don't get tested for HSV or anything else. (Just scan the forum for innumerable examples of misleading results for HSV testing. Don't risk it.) But if you insist on HSV testing, the odds of infection from any single exposure are so low that you shouldn't focus on the most recent exposure. Just get tested at the same time as the other tests are done.
I hope this has helped. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
