What is measured in a complete STD panel?

STD panels measure different biomarkers associated with each disease. Access Medical Labs offers testing for the following STDs:

HIV 1 & 2

HIV-1 and HIV-2, the two major classifications of human immunodeficiency virus, should be regularly tested. It is crucial to catch HIV before or during chronic infection, the asymptomatic phase of HIV, to prevent the development of AIDS-related diseases. Although the virus can be managed, HIV’s link to chronic inflammation and health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer make it an integral part of periodic STD testing.

Although HIV-1 and HIV-2 are similar, over 55% of their genetic material is different. As a result, HIV testing that detects antigens and antibodies for both types is a necessity.

Syphilis

Rapid plasma reagin (RPR) is a nontreponemal syphilis test that detects the presence of antibodies immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin B against the syphilis bacteria, treponema pallidum. RPR is highly effective; during the middle stages of syphilis, it’s sensitivity rate is almost 100%.

Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)

HSV I and HSV II, or oral and genital herpes, respectively, leave genetic material in the blood that can be detected using a blood test. Characterized by painful blisters and sores, HSV’s erratic symptoms sometimes make traditional HSV testing (using the sores themselves) unrealistic. The viral nature of herpes means that early detection is crucial to prevent the spread of infection.

Gonorrhea

One of the most common STDS, gonorrhea can be tested through the detection of antibodies in the blood to neisseria gonorrhoeae. Due to their similarities, gonorrhea is often tested alongside chlamydia. Blood testing streamlines this process and, often, delivers faster results than other forms of gonorrhea testing.

Chlamydia

In 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted 1,579,885 cases of chlamydia, making it the most common STD. Blood testing for chlamydia measures antibodies against the primary chlamydia bacteria, chlamydia trachomatis.

How regularly should I be tested for STDs?

According to the World Health Organization, more than 1 million STIs are acquired every day worldwide, the majority of which are asymptomatic. With so many asymptomatic STD patients, few healthcare providers test exclusively at the onset of symptoms. Furthermore, several STDs, such as syphilis, present with symptoms that are not specific to that disease, such as fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes. To best prevent the spread of STDs, encourage sexually-active patients to incorporate testing as a regular part of their sexual health care. The CDC released the following guidelines concerning which patients should be tested for STDs at what frequency:

Sexually-active women younger than 25 can benefit particularly from yearly testing of gonorrhea and chlamydia. Sexually-transmitted diseases and infections such as gonorrhea typically impact women’s health much more seriously than men’s. Asymptomatic and untreated gonorrhea can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and ectopic pregnancy. Additionally, women older than 25 that have increased risk should be tested once a year.

Men who have sex with men are especially at-risk for a number of STDs. Forty-three percent of syphilis cases in 2019-2022 were exclusively from men who have sex with men. For syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV, these individuals should be tested at least once a year, as often as every three months for those with multiple or anonymous partners.

All sexually active patients between the ages of 13-64 should be regularly tested for STDS, and at least once a year for HIV. Individuals with added risk factors should consider additional screening.

Additional risk factors include: new or multiple sexual partners and unprotected sex or sexual contact. Likewise, if your patient has already contracted an STD, such as HIV, they may be more susceptible to acquiring additional STDs and suffer more extreme symptoms. These high-risk individuals may benefit from testing more often than other patients.

What is the testing process?

Once your sample is received in our laboratory, our team of highly trained lab technologists will analyze the sample and send the results to you and/or your healthcare provider within 24 hours.