STI Testing and Treatment Options
Most people with STIs don’t have symptoms; the only way to know if you have an STI is through testing (BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre, 2018; Options for Sexual Health, n.d.; BC CDC, n.d.).
STIs can pass through the exchange of body fluids (e.g., blood, genital bodily fluids), intimate skin to skin contact, and sharing drug paraphernalia (e.g., needles, inhalation straws).
Early treatment of STIs can prevent health complications.
Preventative treatments are available for certain STIs within seven days of the sexual assault (BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre, 2017).
Signs and symptoms of STIs vary. Some common STIs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, can show no symptoms.
There is no single test that will cover all STIs, so samples of blood, urine, or swabs may be required depending on the test. The time between contact with a person with an STI and when the STI will show up on a test will vary depending on the infection and test.
STI testing at three weeks and three months following the sexual assault is recommended. Tests completed too early may not be accurate (Options for Sexual Health, n.d.; Options for Sexual Health, n.d.; BC CDC., n.d.).
Follow the links below for more information on STI testing and treatment:
