What STDs are there, and when is it best to get tested?

There are a lot of sexually transmitted diseases. We give you a comprehensive list below. It is important to know that contracting an STD will not always happen after unsafe sexual contact. Unsafe sex (without a condom or cup) is of course the most common cause. Yet you should also be careful during safe sexual contact (with a condom or flap). The risk of bringing different bodily fluids into contact remains real. Even when having safe sex with different bed partners, it is advisable to get tested in time.

In addition, you can also become infected through blood contact (your blood in contact with infected blood), or through the use of items that are contaminated, such as needles or syringes (after tattooing, piercing, drug use).

You can contract an STD without experiencing any symptoms. However, without treatment, there can be consequences for your health. The consequences range from mild symptoms to (in the most severe case) infertility and/or life-threatening infections. Individuals who do not experience symptoms are also at greater risk of infecting other people because they are often unaware of the dangers.

Depending on the STD you have contracted, the symptoms can obviously differ from each other. The general rule is: notice a change in your body after (unsafe) sexual contact? Get preventive testing so you can rule out STDs or treat them if necessary.

Do you notice any symptoms? If so, it might be one or more of the following:

• Fever
• Itching or pain of the genitals (penis, vagina, anus)
• Redness, blisters, warts or other wounds on the genitals or skin
• Swollen glands
• Blood loss after sex
• Vaginal discharge is different from normal (in women)
• Fluid from the penis (in men)
• Pain when urinating
• Other or no symptoms are certainly possible

At Betamedics, we offer two types of screening: basic STD screening and comprehensive STD screening.

By default, an STD screening mainly detects Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis. At Betamedics, however, we go further and further.

The basic screening already tests for the following common sexually transmitted pathogens, among others: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Trichomonas vaginalis, Haemophilus ducreyi, Chlamydia trachomatis Serovar L, Treponema pallidum (Syphilis) and Herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum, Mycoplasma hominis, Varicella zoster virus, Cytomegalovirus. In women, an additional search for Gardnerella vaginalis is also performed.

In a rare case, a test performed too early after a high-risk contact may give a false negative result. Therefore, in case of persistent anxiety or symptoms, it is best to retest after several weeks.

Chlamydia trachomatis, the most common STD. Chlamydia often does not cause symptoms. Do you experience symptoms anyway? Then they usually appear 1 to 3 weeks after infection. If you experience no symptoms, it is best to test after 3 weeks. If you do experience symptoms, you can also come in earlier for testing.

Gonorrhea, popularly called gonorrhea, is also a highly contagious STD that is common. Again, testing is usually recommended after 3 weeks. If you experience symptoms earlier, the bacteria (Neisseria gonorrhoeae ) sometimes show up in the test earlier. It is often thought that gonorrhea is always accompanied by symptoms, but this is not always true.

Mycoplasma genitalium , or Mycroplasm for short, is not always routinely tested. Yet completely unjustified. If you experience symptoms (usually pain when urinating) and you have already tested negative for gonorrhea or Chlamydia, it is possible that you are infected with this bacterium. Testing is also recommended after 3 weeks but can be done earlier when symptoms appear.

Mycoplasma hominis: urogenital commensal that when present in excess may be potentially linked to vaginitis, endometritis and salpingitis.

Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum are bacteria occasionally found near the vagina (but also near the penis in men). In most cases, these bacteria are among the normal, harmless inhabitants of the genital tract and therefore cause no symptoms at all. However, in women, the bacteria are also associated with complications during pregnancy (such as low birth weight or premature delivery) or can be the cause of infertility. In patients without symptoms, this bacterium certainly does not need to be treated. If the bacteria do cause symptoms, a course of antibiotics can be started (doxycycline, available on prescription), but unlike Gardnerella vaginalis, Ureaplasma bacteria are much more difficult to treat successfully.

Haemophilus ducreyi: cause of soft shanker (painful ulcus molle or chancroid).

Chlamydia trachomatis Serovar L: cause of lymphogranuloma venereum (painful, unilateral lymphadenopathy).

Treponema pallidum: cause of syphilis (ulcus durum, painless hard shanker).

Trichomonas vaginalis. The name of this STD may make you think it occurs only in women, but that is incorrect. Men can also develop an inflammation of the urethra, called urethritis. Testing for Trichomonas is indicated from 4 weeks after sexual contact. If there are obvious symptoms, testing can be done earlier as well.

Herpes simplex virus 1 and 2. This virus often gives rise to skin and mucous membrane infections. We distinguish two major types where type 1 often causes a fever blister or cold sore, and type 2 gives rise to genital herpes. Basically, both viruses can cause infections on the entire body. Usually the blisters associated with this virus occur within 1 week. You are most contagious when the herpes vesicles are already visible, but you can also pass this on to a partner shortly before (and after).

Varicella-zoster virus: cause of anogenital zona. May mimic classic genital herpes.

Cytomegalovirus: cause of viral proctitis.

Gardnerella vaginalis is a bacterium associated with a clinical syndrome called “bacterial vaginosis. This condition is characterized by bad-smelling vaginal discharge, irritation or itching of the vagina and increased vaginal discharge. Bacterial vaginosis is not an STD, but a common vaginal infection that affects an estimated 1 in 10 women and also occurs in women who do not have sexual contact. The condition is caused by an imbalance at the level of the vagina, which allows these bacteria to grow. There are many causes of this imbalance, including the use of soap in the pubic area, fluctuations in hormone levels and the presence of an IUD. Treatment for bacterial vaginosis consists of a course of antibiotics (metronidazole, available by prescription). The condition affects only women and is not transmissible to men. Thus, partners do not need to be co-treated.

The above STDs can be tested on a urethral or vaginal swab or on first morning urine (in men). With morning urine, the first 10-20 ml of morning urine is most optimal for a sample. You can pick up a urine cup in advance from us (free of charge) or from the pharmacy. This way you can collect your urine immediately after waking up. It is a good idea to draw on the urine container with a marker a mark line between 10 and 20 ml. In women, the analysis is preferably done on a genital swab.

For the comprehensive STD screening, in addition to the genital swab or the first morning urine, a blood sample is also required. Only in this way can we also detect HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis antibodies.

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. The virus slowly breaks down your immune system. There is generally still a great deal of fear surrounding HIV. Of course, it is important to first prevent yourself from contracting an HIV infection. Do you think you have come in contact with this STD? If the risk contact occurred within 72h you can contact your doctor and inquire about PEP. PEP is a course of medication that can prevent HIV from settling in the body after you have been exposed to the virus.

Did the risk contact occur longer ago? If so, choose to get tested promptly. An infection cannot be undone (which is why prevention is obviously important), but HIV medication can keep you from getting sick or passing on the virus in the future. Ask your doctor about this, of course.