DHEC Offers Free HIV and STD Testing at Certain Locations in Recognition of National HIV Testing Day - SCDHEC

DHEC Offers Free HIV and STD Testing at Certain Locations in Recognition of National HIV Testing Day - SCDHEC
STD symptoms: How long to manifest and when to test - Medical News Today
STIs vs. STDs: The Difference, Symptoms to Watch for, When to Test - Healthline

Posted: 25 Jun 2021 06:15 AM PDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 25, 2021

COLUMBIA, S.C. ― National HIV Testing Day is June 27, 2021, and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is encouraging South Carolinians to get tested for HIV and other STDs so they know their status and can protect their health.

The theme of this year's National HIV Testing Day is "My Test, My Way," which is meant to focus on the different options available for getting tested for HIV, whether it's self-testing at home or getting tested at a nearby location. As of December 31, 2019, there are more than 20,000 South Carolina residents living with diagnosed HIV infection, including AIDS.

"Early detection through testing for HIV remains essential to successfully identifying and treating the disease and is critical to preventing new infections," said Ali Mansaray, Director of DHEC's STD/HIV and Viral Hepatitis Division. "Most people in the early stages of HIV infection have no symptoms. Early diagnosis can link people to services that will help them stay healthy longer, benefit most from treatment, reduce costly hospital visits and help prevent transmission to others."

Between 2018 and 2019, 1,556 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in South Carolina, and of those newly diagnosed, 60 percent were African American, 22 percent were white, and 6 percent were Hispanic.

Much like new HIV infections, African Americans are disproportionately impacted when it comes to the total number of people living with HIV in South Carolina. As of Dec. 31, 2019, among persons living with HIV in South Carolina, 47 percent were African American men, 22 percent were African American women, 20 percent were white men and 5 percent were white women. Five percent of people living with HIV were Hispanic/Latino men and women.

To help make HIV and STD testing easy and convenient, DHEC is offering free testing at participating local health departments on June 29. Appointments are encouraged. Please call 1-855-472-3432 or use our online web chat to schedule your appointment.

If you are over the age of 17 and prefer the privacy of in-home testing, you can order up to two free test kits by visiting together.takemehome.org. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is covering the cost of HIV self-tests so that you can use them to test yourself or to share with others. No personally identifiable information will be shared with CDC.

For more information about STDs and locations that provide screenings, call DHEC's STD/HIV Hotline at 1-800-322-2437, or visit DHEC's website at www.scdhec.gov/stdhiv.

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STD symptoms: How long to manifest and when to test - Medical News Today

Posted: 29 Sep 2020 03:36 PM PDT

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), or sexually transmitted infections (STIs), usually pass from person to person through sexual contact. Testing can help make sex safer and ensure people receive proper treatment for STIs

Each STI has its own incubation period, which is how long it takes for symptoms to appear. In some cases, it can take months for an STI to show up on tests. In other cases, it may only take days.

This article explores the incubation periods of different STIs, how soon people can get tested, and the importance of testing.

The incubation period is how long it takes for symptoms to appear after exposure. The window period is how long it takes to get a positive test result for the infection after exposure. These periods are often similar.

Some general symptoms that indicate a person might have an STI include:

genital itching or burning
pain during intercourse or urination
a new or unusual discharge
bumps or growths on or around the genitals
a foul smell coming from the genitals or after sex

However, some STIs do not cause symptoms for many years, even though a person can still get a positive test result. This is why it is important to rely on testing, not just symptoms.

In most cases, a person can get an STI test within a few weeks of exposure. If a person has a curable STI, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, they may need a retest after treatment.

People at high risk of certain STIs should ask for a retest, even after a negative result. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend annual HIV testing for people at risk, such as those whose partners have HIV or people who share needles.

The testing window for common STIs is as follows:

HIV

A nucleic acid test analyzes a blood sample for HIV. It can indicate a positive result 10–33 days after exposure. The antigen/antibody test, also a blood test, looks for HIV antibodies. It also looks for an antigen that the body produces before antibodies appear. It can get results 18–45 days after exposure.

The antibody test uses a blood or saliva sample to look for HIV antibodies. It takes the longest to get a reliable result, at 23–90 days after exposure. A person can be confident they do not have HIV if they get a negative test during the window period and have no subsequent contact with someone who could have the virus.

Chlamydia

A doctor can test for chlamydia by swabbing the vagina, cervix, rectum, or throat, or by taking a urine sample. If symptoms appear, they usually present within 7–21 days of exposure. A test can normally detect chlamydia within 1–2 weeks of exposure.

Gonorrhea

A doctor can test for gonorrhea with a urine sample. In some cases, they may also swab the urethra, anus, throat, or cervix to get a more reliable result.

Most tests can detect the infection within 5 days to 2 weeks of exposure. If a test is negative shortly after exposure, a doctor may recommend retesting 2 weeks later, particularly if a person has symptoms.

Gonorrhea symptoms usually appear from 1 day to 2 weeks after exposure.

Herpes

Herpes symptoms usually appear quickly. On average, they present 4 days after exposure, and the typical range is 2–12 days. In some cases, however, symptoms can be so mild that a person does not notice them.

A blood test can confirm a herpes diagnosis. The test may be positive within a month, and by 4 months, blood testing finds most cases.

HPV

While it is possible for males to pass human papillomavirus (HPV) on to a partner, the CDC have not approved a male test. Instead, doctors may test for symptoms of the relatively rare cancers that HPV can cause, including penile cancer.

In females, HPV rarely causes symptoms. If there are indications, they could appear months or years later. The most reliable test is a Pap smear, which involves swabbing the cervix. This can detect HPV 3 weeks to a few months after exposure.

Hepatitis

In some cases, hepatitis B and C may not cause any obvious symptoms for years. If they do appear, hepatitis B usually produces signs within 6 weeks to 6 months. Hepatitis C symptoms may appear as early as 2–6 weeks, but can sometimes take as long as 6 months.

A blood test can look for both types of hepatitis. The hepatitis B testing window is 3–6 weeks, while the hepatitis C testing window is 2–6 months. Early testing at 2 months may miss some cases, so a doctor may recommend retesting at 6 months.

Trichomoniasis

A doctor can test for trichomoniasis with a swab of the rectum, penis, or vagina. Many people do not have symptoms, but some may notice a discharge or burning sensation within 5–28 days of exposure. It is possible to get a positive test within a week of exposure, though some people need to wait up to a month.

Syphilis

Syphilis usually begins with a sore on the genitals called a chancre. Blood tests can detect the bacteria within 1–2 weeks after the chancre appears. Chancres are typically painless and usually develop within 3 weeks of exposure, so the total testing window is about 4 weeks.

Because the development of syphilis varies from person to person, doctors often recommend retesting about 3 months after exposure.

Some STIs live in the body for many years without triggering any symptoms. Doctors may refer to them as dormant, meaning a person can never diagnose themselves based on symptoms alone.

This also means if a person is untested, they can unknowingly pass a dormant STI on to a sexual partner.

Examples of STI that can lay dormant include HIV, herpes, hepatitis C, chlamydia, syphilis, and HPV

The CDC recommend that all sexually-active adults with new or multiple partners seek testing for most STIs at least once per year.

STI testing, even for incurable infections, can save lives. It also slows the spread of STIs. Some benefits of testing are below:

Some STIs are easier to treat if a doctor catches them early.
Early STI testing can prevent a person from spreading an infection to their partners.
A person can have an STI without knowing it.
Some untreated STIs can cause serious health issues, such as cancer and pelvic inflammatory disease.

The right STI testing depends on many factors, including a person's medical history, sexual history, risk of exposure, and prior history of STI tests.

It is important for people to regularly test for STIs, particularly if they have sex with multiple partners.

Early detection can make treatment easier and possibly prevent serious health issues. To reduce the risk of STIs, people should also practice safer sex techniques, such as using a condom.

STIs vs. STDs: The Difference, Symptoms to Watch for, When to Test - Healthline

Posted: 09 Jul 2020 12:00 AM PDT

STIs and STDs aren't the same thing. Really!

If you thought they were, you're not the only one. The terms are often used interchangeably even though they're different conditions.

So, what's the diff and why does it matter? We'll get to that and answer some of your other STI and STD questions here.

STIs are sexually transmitted infections. STDs are sexually transmitted diseases.

An STI is only considered a disease when it causes symptoms. That's it. That's the one difference.

Why the switch after years of referring to all sexually transmitted ailments as STDs? To improve accuracy and stigma.

STI is more accurate for most cases. Also, STD is an acronym that causes some people to shudder thanks to years of subpar sex ed and bad after-school specials.

Think of an infection as the first step on the road to disease. Infections haven't yet turned into disease and often don't cause any symptoms.

This is actually why many experts are pushing to use STI over STD, and believe "STD" is misleading.

"Disease" suggests that a person has a medical problem with obvious signs and symptoms. That's often not the case at all since the most common STIs — like chlamydia and gonorrhea — are often asymptomatic.

Not all diseases start as infections, but when it comes to sexually transmitted ones, they do.

Infections occur when pathogens like viruses, bacteria, or parasites enter your body and start to multiply. How they get into your body depends on the type of pathogen.

Some get in through skin-to-skin contact with a person who has an infection; others are transmitted through an exchange of bodily fluids, like semen, vaginal secretions, or blood.

Infection progresses to disease when these pathogens cause damage to your cells, and signs and symptoms appear.

Some STIs never develop into STDs. Take HPV, for example.

HPV usually clears up on its own without causing any health problems. In these cases, HPV is an STI.

If the infection doesn't clear on its own, it can cause genital warts or certain cancers. This then makes it a disease.

Symptoms can take days, weeks, or even years to appear, if they do at all, which is why testing is important. (More on that in a sec.)

That said, anyone who's sexually active should know what symptoms to watch out for.

Keep in mind that symptoms vary between STDs and can affect different parts of your body, depending on the type of sexual activity you've had.

For the record, this goes for any types of sexual activity, including vaginal and anal sex, oral (rimming, too!), hand jobs/hand sex, dry humping, etc., etc., etc.

Here's what to look out for:

bumps, sores, or rashes in or around the genitals, anus, buttocks, or thighs
changes in the amount of, color, or smell of vaginal discharge
penile discharge
unusual vaginal bleeding or spotting between periods or after sex
painful or burning urination
pain during vaginal or anal penetration
pelvic pain
painful or swollen testicles
tingling or itching around the genitals
swollen and painful lymph nodes, especially in the groin and neck
genital or anal rash
rectal bleeding

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends yearly screening for all sexually active adults, but a good general rule of thumb is to get tested if you:

have had sex without a barrier method, like a condom
have had or are planning to have sex with a new partner
have multiple sexual partners
are worried you may have been exposed to an STI
are pregnant
share injection drug equipment

But don't jump straight from the sack to the screening clinic, because getting tested too soon won't tell you whether you were exposed to an STI from your most recent sexual encounter.

STIs have an incubation period. That's the time between when you contract the infection and your body recognizes and produces antibodies to it.

The presence of these antibodies — or lack thereof — is what gives you the result.

Incubation periods vary between infections, from a few days for chlamydia and gonorrhea to months or years for HPV and syphilis.

That said, if you have reason to believe you've been exposed to an STI, talk to a healthcare provider for advice as soon as possible.

Depending on your situation, they can advise you on the next steps, like when to get tested or about preventive measures, such as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) if you may have been exposed to HIV.

That depends on your results.

Negative result

If you receive a negative result, stay on top of screening with regular STI testing.

Ask your healthcare provider about the best screening schedule for you based on your individual risk factors. You can also talk to them about the best ways to reduce your risk for STIs, like using barrier methods or PrEP.

Positive result

If you receive a positive result, your healthcare provider will prescribe a treatment or management plan depending on the diagnosis.

You'll also need to notify your partner(s) so they can be tested and treated if needed. Not sure how to tell them? We've got you! This guide can help.

The most common STIs are caused by bacteria. A course of antibiotics can usually cure them.

Antibiotics don't work on infections caused by viruses. Some viral infections clear on their own, but most are long-term conditions. Antiviral medications can usually manage symptoms and reduce the risk of transmission.

For STIs like crabs, which are caused by something other than bacteria or viruses, topical and oral medications usually do the trick.

Retesting might be recommended to make sure the treatment has worked.

Even though STIs and STDs are technically different, chances are you'll continue to see the acronym used interchangeably. No biggie, because now you know what's what.

Bask in the feeling of knowing the difference, and continue to stay on top of your sexual health. Knowledge is power, friends!

Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a Canada-based freelance writer and author who has written extensively on all things health and lifestyle for more than a decade. When she's not holed-up in her writing shed researching an article or off interviewing health professionals, she can be found frolicking around her beach town with husband and dogs in tow or splashing about the lake trying to master the stand-up paddle board.

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