When Was The Last Time You Got Tested for STD's?

[steven787]

Dogs Rule said:
I've never been specifically tested, but I've given blood 15 times, so my blood has been tested for HIV/AIDS, The Heps, Siphylis, Ghonoreah, etc 15 times. I haven't given blood since december of last year, so december of last year. I should give again soon, I suppose.

Genital Herpes can usually only be tested by testing the site of a sore.

• Herpes viral culture. Cells or fluid from a fresh sore are collected with a cotton swab and placed in a culture cup. A viral culture is the most specific method of finding a genital herpes infection.
• Herpes virus antigen detection test. Cells from a fresh sore are scraped off and then smeared onto a microscope slide. This test finds markers (called antigens) on the surface of cells infected with the herpes virus. This test may be done with or in place of a viral culture.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. A PCR test can be done on cells or fluid from a sore or on blood or on other fluid, such as spinal fluid. PCR finds the genetic material (DNA) of the HSV virus. This test can tell the difference between HSV-1 and HSV-2. The PCR test is not often done on skin sores, but it is best for testing spinal fluid, for those rare cases in which herpes may cause an infection in or around the brain.
• Antibody tests. Blood tests can find antibodies that are made by the immune system to fight a herpes infection. Antibody tests are occasionally done but are not as accurate as a viral culture at finding the cause of a specific sore or ulcer. Antibody tests cannot tell the difference between a current active herpes infection and a herpes infection that occurred in the past. Because antibodies take time to develop after the first infection, you may not have a positive antibody test if you have just recently been infected. Some blood tests can tell the difference between HSV-1 and HSV-2.

The Antibody test are very inaccurate, and HSV2 (GH) might never manifest itself as genital herpes (in the genital region)...

Blood donated is not tested for HSV because the virus is only in infected areas, the antigens are harmless.

 

Blood is usually only tested for the following:

• Hepatitis B Surface Antigen
• Antibody to Hepatitis C
• Antibody to HIV, usually subtypes 1 and 2
• Serologic test for Syphilis

Hope this helps.

Also I should add, many diseases are only blood testable if there are current symptoms or not at all.

@twesterm: It's always best to get tested, you never really know who someone has had sex with or what the results of every STD test was.  People lie.