Assessing Your HIV or STD Risk
In collaboration with the San Francisco Department of Public Health STD Prevention Program, the AIDS Health Project offers sexually transmitted disease (STD) screening tests for oral gonorrhea, rectal gonorrhea and rectal chlamydia.
How does HIV relate to chlamydia and gonorrhea?
All STDs, including chlamydia and gonorrhea, are spread by having unprotected sex. HIV, itself, is an STD! If you have had unprotected sex, it is even more likely that you might be infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea than with HIV because these STDs are easier to catch than HIV.
AHP provides STD screening, testing and treatment because it is important for people to learn about these potentially dangerous diseases. If you are infected, treatment is easy, safe, and effective.
What type of test would be done?
If your behaviors put you at risk for chlamydia or gonorrhea (your counselor will help to determine this), AHP will test you for them separately from HIV. A throat swab detects oral gonorrhea. A “self-collected rectal swab” detects rectal gonorrhea and rectal chlamydia. The medical staff person on site will assist you with these tests.
When can I get my results?
It takes at least one week to get your chlamydia and gonorrhea results. If you are having standard HIV testing, STD test results will be available with your HIV test results. If you are having rapid HIV testing, your counselor will provide you with an identification number and a phone number to call to receive your STD results after eight days.
If I am getting an anonymous HIV test, can I get an anonymous STD test?
Yes! We have arranged for you to be able to receive STD testing without needing to give your name. But to receive test results in writing, you need to take a confidential test. Please talk to your counselor if you need more information about the difference between anonymous and confidential testing. Click here for more information about Confidential vs. Anonynous Testing.
How much does it cost?
STD screening tests are free—just like HIV tests.
What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia (cla-mid-ee-ah) is a sexually transmitted disease caused by a type of bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia can infect men, women, and children. It is passed from one person to another during vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Chlamydia can also be spread to the eyes by touching vaginal fluids or semen and then touching your eyes. Babies of infected mothers can get eye and lung infections during delivery.
Fifty percent of men and 80 percent of women with chlamydia have no symptoms of infection. When there are symptoms, which can include pain or skin irritation, they may appear within 30 days or less of infection, but then they will go away. Whether or not there are symptoms—and even after they go away—a person with chlamydia remains infected and can pass chlamydia on to a sex partner!
If you test positive for chlamydia, a member of our medical team will give you an antibiotic to kill the chlamydia in your body and an antibiotic for you to give to your sexual partner or partners so that they do not give the infection back to you or infect other people. Your partner or partners do not need to be present; we can give you “partner packs” to take with you.
What is gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea (gon-or-e-uh) is a sexually transmitted disease caused by a type of germ, a bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gonorrhea can infect men and women. It is passed from one person to another during vaginal, anal, and oral sex. It can be found in the throat, vagina, urethra, and anus. Babies can be infected during birth, causing eye infections.
Gonorrhea symptoms appear within 10 days after a person is exposed to the germ. Then they disappear. Women often have no symptoms at all, but both women and men whose symptoms have disappeared are still infected. If you are infected in the throat through oral sex, you may feel like you have a sore throat. Gonorrhea is more easily spread to the throat by penis–mouth sex and rarely by mouth–vagina sex.
If you test positive for gonorrhea, you will be given an antibiotic to kill the gonorrhea in your body and an antibiotic for you to give to your sexual partner or partners so that they do not give the infection back to you or infect other people.
How would I get treated if I phone in for my results?
If the phone counselor tells you that either STD result is positive, he or she can schedule a face-to-face treatment appointment for within 24 hours of the call—or longer if your schedule requires. Treatment is quick and easy, and all testing and treatment is free and anonymous.
