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HIV & STI's

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (or STD), also known as Sexually Transmitted Infections (or STI), can be the biggest threat to your health. Once called venereal diseases, STD are infections or diseases a person contracts through sexual contact (either vaginal, oral or anal) with someone already infected with an STD. Caused by a number of bacteria and viruses, more than 25 kinds of STD affect both men and women. Divided into two main categories, STD are classified as either bacterial or viral.
The facts provided here and on subsequent links regarding sexually transmitted disease and infection is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be used for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for consultation with a health care provider. If you have any questions about the diseases described here or think you may be infected, contact your health care provided immediately.
At Women's Health Services, STD testing includes chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, hepatitis (all types), HIV, genital herpes, HIV and genital warts/HPV. To receive STD testing at Women's Health Services, patients must first make an appointment and will be billed for an office visit.

Tests are administered in the following ways:

Chlamydia: cervical or urethral swab;
Gonorrhea: cervical or urethral swab;
Syphilis: blood test;
Trichomoniasis: cervical or urethral swab;
Hepatitis: blood test;
HIV: OraSure cheek swab;
Genital Herpes: new, fresh blisters are cultured;
Genital Warts/HPV: visual scan of the genital area.

If a patient tests positive, the following treatments will be administered:

Chlamydia:
Treatment will differ depending on whether or not the patient is pregnant or using a reliable method of birth control:

if not pregnant and utilizing reliable birth control, he/she would be prescribed an oral antibiotic taken twice a day for one week;
if there is a risk of pregnancy, female patients would take a 1-time antibiotic drink (the oral antibiotic could pose some risk to the fetus).

Gonorrhea:
As with chlamydia, treatment will differ depending on whether or not the patient is pregnant or using a reliable method of birth control:

if not pregnant and utilizing reliable birth control, he/she would be prescribed the same antibiotic regimen used to treat chlamydia as well as an additional 1-time antibiotic;
if there is a risk of pregnancy, female patients would take the same antibiotic drink used to treat chlamydia as well as a single antibiotic injection.

Syphilis:
Treatment includes weekly antibiotic injections for 3 weeks. Follow-up blood work is performed at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after testing positive.

Trichomoniasis: treatment is a 1-time antibiotic
Hepatitis: may be referred for treatment
HIV: referred to specialist for treatment

Genital Herpes:
Treatment is a 1-week antiviral medication, depending on the severity of the outbreak.

Genital Herpes cannot be cured. Genital Warts/HPV: three types of removal treatment can be administered including a 3-6 week acid treatment; freezing and topical cream lasting up to 12 weeks. Most acid and freezing treatments are administered at Women's Health Services, while the cream is applied at home with periodic checks at Women's Health Services.

Go to "HIV" page.

Go to STI FAQ page

Informative Links

For additional information on STI's, contact the following organizations:

American Social Health Association: 800-227-8922
CDC Sexually Transmitted Disease Infromation: 800-342-2437
National Herpes Hotline: 919-361-8488