TESTING
Testing for STIs and HIV is important for maintaining a fulfilling and healthy sex life — for you and your partner(s)
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STI Testing
HIV Testing
STI Testing
Getting tested for STIs is an important part of any sex life
How often should I get tested?
Testing is essential for maintaining a healthy sex life. Current guidelines recommend all guys who fuck other guys to get tested for STIs every three months. The guidelines also recommend guys who are in monogamous relationships or aren’t sexually active to get tested at least once a year.
Regular testing is important as some STIs can spread in other ways besides sex — such as kissing.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of an STI, check in with your doctor or sexual health centre.
What should I get tested for?
Australian doctors are knowledgeable about general health. Looking after sexual health for guys who fuck other guys involves specialist knowledge. Getting the best outcomes for your sexual health relies on getting the right tests. As part of your regular sexual health check-up, be sure to ask for:
- Blood tests for HIV and syphilis;
- Throat, anal, vaginal or front-hole swabs as well as urine tests for gonorrhoea and chlamydia;
- A blood test for hepatitis C at least once a year; and
- Vaccinations for hepatitis A and B (if you are not already vaccinated)
How much will it cost me?
The cost of seeing a doctor may vary. This depends on bulk billing, standard consultation fees, the tests performed or the kind of service you go to. Some cities have free sexual health centres or rapid testing services you can access whether you do or don’t have access to Medicare. Contact nearby sexual health services to ask about costs based on your circumstances.
How soon after sex should I get tested?
Being certain about whether you do or don’t have an STI is a key part of looking after your own sexual health as well as the people you have sex with. While it might be tempting to test soon after a sexual encounter, some STIs take a while to show up in your test results.
The time between acquiring an STI and it showing up on a test is called a window period. It can take a few days to detect some STIs after exposure, while others can take several months. As an example, you could come in to contact with an STI then get tested two days later. If the window period for detecting that STI is longer than two days, it might not show up on your test results yet. This is why it’s important to go for regular sexual health tests.
To find out more on window periods or what they are for different STIs, head to the STI section.
What happens when I get tested?
Getting a sexual health check-up typically involves taking a swab from your throat, arse, vagina or front-hole. You might have a swab taken from your cock if you’re experiencing symptoms such as a discharge, lesion or a sore. Your doctor will also request samples of blood and urine (piss). Some doctors may invite you to do your anal or genital swabs by yourself while others may do this for you — this may be because taking a swab requires specialist knowledge. You can always discuss with your doctor what’s best for you.
You can expect your doctor to have a conversation with you about your sexual behaviours. This might involve questions about how many partners you’ve had, the types of sex you are having and what forms of STI prevention have or haven’t been involved. These questions might feel quite personal, but it’s important to be honest with your doctor. The more they know about your circumstances, the better positioned they are to help you look after your sexual health and wellbeing. This includes offering you the right tests and the latest sexual health information to help you stay healthy.
Where can I get tested?
Any doctor can perform a sexual health check-up, but some doctors may not have specialist knowledge of sexual health for guys who fuck other guys.
Find doctors near you who:
- Specialise in HIV treatment;
- Prescribe PrEP;
- Offer PEP; and
- Provide rapid testing
So what happens after I get tested?
After you get tested it can take up to a week to get your results back. If your test results show you do have an STI, book an appointment to see your doctor for treatment. Avoid having any sexual contact in the meantime.
It’s a good idea to get in touch with any recent sexual partners. Let them know about the STI and where it is in your body — this information will help them get the right tests and treatment, if needed. If you’d prefer to do this anonymously, the Let Them Know service sends a text message or email letting them know they may have come in to contact with an STI and should get tested.
After you’ve had your routine sexual health tests, it’s time to book in your next check-up. Use the Remind Me service to receive an email or text message when it’s time to book your next visit.
HIV Testing
There are now more ways you can test for HIV than ever before. Each type of test has its own advantages, so you have options to suit your needs
DOCTOR TESTING
HIV testing with a doctor offers the most accurate detection of HIV. This kind of test is used to diagnose if someone has the virus in their body. The test involves sending a blood sample to a laboratory for analysis. It usually takes between a few days and a week for the results to come back.
The time between acquiring HIV and it showing up on a test is called a window period. Doctor testing has a window period of up to eight weeks. The window period for other forms of HIV testing can be up to 12 weeks.
Current guidelines recommend all guys who fuck other guys to get tested for HIV every three months. The guidelines also recommend guys who are in monogamous relationships or who aren’t sexually active to get tested for HIV at least once a year.
You can expect your doctor to have a conversation with you about your sexual behaviours. This might involve questions about how many partners you’ve had, the types of sex you’re having and what forms of HIV prevention have or haven’t been involved. These questions might feel quite personal, but it’s important to be honest with your doctor. The more they know about your circumstances, the better positioned they are to help you look after your sexual health and wellbeing. This includes offering you PEP if you’ve had an exposure to HIV in the last 72 hours and the latest sexual health information to help you stay healthy.
It’s also a good idea to be informed about HIV in general and to think about what you might do if the test were to come back positive. Nowadays, HIV is a chronic manageable condition with highly effective treatments available. Know about available support services, who you might disclose your HIV status to, and what your next steps might involve — such as starting HIV treatment or connecting with other people living with HIV.
Find doctor testing services nearby.
RAPID TESTING
Rapid HIV Testing is a quick and convenient way to test for HIV. Some rapid testing services are free whether you do or don’t have access to Medicare. Most rapid testing in Australia involves a finger prick blood test. Results are delivered in around 15 minutes while you wait. Rapid tests are used around the world for reliable HIV testing.
Every type of rapid testing kit has a window period. The window period is the time between acquiring HIV and it showing up on the test. The length of the window period may vary depending on the type of rapid test kit used — this is typically up to 12 weeks.
There are three possible outcomes for a rapid HIV test:
- Non-reactive — this means the test did not detect the presence of HIV
- Reactive — this means the test indicates HIV may be present
- Invalid — this means the test did not function correctly and must be performed again
A rapid test offers preliminary screening for HIV. A reactive result is not confirmation of an HIV positive diagnosis. There is a small possibility the test has returned a false-positive result. Confirmation from a laboratory test is always required. Your test facilitator will discuss this with you.
A non-reactive result indicates you don’t have HIV as of up to 12 weeks ago. This is based on the window period of the rapid testing kit.
When using rapid HIV testing services, consider also testing for other STIs. An active and healthy sex life involves testing regularly for STIs as well as HIV.
Rapid tests are often delivered through peer-based testing services. These services operate with trained members of the community performing the tests. Some people may be more comfortable accessing peer-based services.
Find rapid HIV testing services nearby.
HIV SELF TESTING
HIV self-testing is a quick, convenient and discreet way to test for HIV by yourself. The only test kit approved for use in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is the Atomo HIV Self Test. This testing kit gives an accurate result in 15 minutes. Although other self-testing kits may be available to buy online, it is recommended to only buy devices approved by the TGA as their quality is guaranteed.
HIV self-testing kits have a window period of 12 weeks. The window period is the time between acquiring HIV and it showing up on the test.
HIV self-testing offers preliminary screening for HIV. A reactive result is not confirmation of an HIV positive diagnosis. There is a small possibility the test has returned a false-positive result. Confirmation from a laboratory test is always required.
A non-reactive result indicates you don’t have HIV as of up to 12 weeks ago. This is based on the window period of the testing kit.
When using HIV self-testing, consider also testing for other STIs. A healthy sex life involves testing regularly for STIs as well as HIV.
It’s also a good idea to be informed about HIV in general and to think about what you might do if the test were to come back positive. Nowadays, HIV is a chronic manageable condition with highly effective treatments available. Know about available support services, who you might disclose your HIV status to, and what your next steps might involve — such as starting HIV treatment or connecting with other people living with HIV.
You can purchase approved HIV self-testing kits from Atomo, or contact your local HIV/AIDS organisation.