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Detection Time for Chlamydia/Gonorhea
I am a male in my 30s. I recently had unprotected sex oral and vaginal sex. The female has no symptoms and no reason to think that she is infected with anything. Her last exam was approximately 6 months prior and she was clean though she has had partners in between. I am concerned about chlamydia/gonorrhea as they seem to be most common and most transmissible. It is now over one week later and I have no symptoms. Approximately 4 days later (3.5 days is probably more accurate) I got tested for chlamydia/gonorrhea using a urine test. The test came back negative. At the time I also asked the doctor if I should take azithromycin just to be extra sure but the doctor was hesitant to prescribe anything without symptoms and without a positive test. I have no reason to think I am infected, just being very paranoid. So my questions are as follows: 1) Is 3.5 - 4 days enough time for a chlamydia/gonorrhea test? 2) Should I get tested again just to be sure? 3) Is it worth while to insist that a doctor prescribe Azithromycin as a preventive measure, even though I am asymptomatic, the woman is asymptomatic and the initial test came back negative. 4) I have read that one should not undergo a Herpes test without symptoms because it can yield "false positives" especially if one has had a cold sore in the past. Is this accurate? Again no reason to think I have caught any of the above conditions but just being extra careful since unprotected sex can be high risk. Thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the Forum. The encounter you describe was low risk- most women do not have STIs and most unprotected exposures do not lead to infection. Your tests provide further strong evidence that you were not infected. In answe to your specific questions:
1) Is 3.5 - 4 days enough time for a chlamydia/gonorrhea test?
Yes, if you had acquired gonorrhea or chalmydia, a urine test for these infections would have been positve three to four days later.
2) Should I get tested again just to be sure?
No, there is no medical reason for additonal testing.
3) Is it worth while to insist that a doctor prescribe Azithromycin as a preventive measure, even though I am asymptomatic, the woman is asymptomatic and the initial test came back negative.
No, in fact I would urge you not to seek medication. Medications can have side effects and if you develop symptoms (most unlikely at this point) having taken medications would just confuse things. We recommend ttreatment only for those with evidence of infection.
4) I have read that one should not undergo a Herpes test without symptoms because it can yield "false positives" especially if one has had a cold sore in the past. Is this accurate?
Yes, this is correct. If your partner had HSV (you do not know that she did and most likely she did not), the risk for infection from a single encounter is somewhere between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 10,000. The risk of a false positve test is far, far higher. If you do not develop symptoms within two weeks of exposure you should be confident that you did not get herpes.
I hope these comments are helpful. EWH
1) Is 3.5 - 4 days enough time for a chlamydia/gonorrhea test?
Yes, if you had acquired gonorrhea or chalmydia, a urine test for these infections would have been positve three to four days later.
2) Should I get tested again just to be sure?
No, there is no medical reason for additonal testing.
3) Is it worth while to insist that a doctor prescribe Azithromycin as a preventive measure, even though I am asymptomatic, the woman is asymptomatic and the initial test came back negative.
No, in fact I would urge you not to seek medication. Medications can have side effects and if you develop symptoms (most unlikely at this point) having taken medications would just confuse things. We recommend ttreatment only for those with evidence of infection.
4) I have read that one should not undergo a Herpes test without symptoms because it can yield "false positives" especially if one has had a cold sore in the past. Is this accurate?
Yes, this is correct. If your partner had HSV (you do not know that she did and most likely she did not), the risk for infection from a single encounter is somewhere between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 10,000. The risk of a false positve test is far, far higher. If you do not develop symptoms within two weeks of exposure you should be confident that you did not get herpes.
I hope these comments are helpful. EWH
That's what I thought. Thank you again.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
the symptoms you mention are not consistent with either STI or UTI. They do suggest that you are too focused on sensations coming from your urethra however. EWH
I just want to add that the feeling to urinate again is very subtle. It doesn't make me feel like I HAVE to go but it's more of an annoyance.
Doctor. Thank you again but I do have one follow up question. For about the past 5 days or so, I have noticed that a few minutes urinating, I have the sensation to urinate again. This is not an intense or urgent feeling but enough that I notice. If I do try to urinate again, very little comes outs and what does is almost a dribble. It's as if I am not completely emptying my bladder when I do go. The other day after a full normal urination, I went back about 3 times and urinated again though very little and just more than a dribble. There is no pain or burning and no discharge. This may be from anxiety or from me being hypersensitive given the above situation in my initial post. Is this something I should be concerned about? Is this the symptomatic of a UTI or STD?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Glad to help. Take care. EWH
Thank you very much Doctor. Your comments are very helpful. I will not plan on any further testing nor will I attempt to obtain any unnecessary medication. Have a great day
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.
