Sexually transmitted infection (STI), is transmitted through sexual intercourse with an infected sex partner. It can be transmitted through vaginal sex, oral sex and anal sex, but not through social contacts like eating at the same table, travelling in the same public vehicle or swimming in the same pool etc.
Common sexually transmitted infections include Syphilis, Gonorrhoea, Non-Gonococcal Urethritis , Non-Specific Genital Infection, Genital Herpus, Genital Warts, Pubic Lice, Chamydia. Sexual contact is the commonest mode of transmission of HIV infection in Hong Kong.
Sexually transmitted infection is serious as it can affect the genital organ and cause pain and sterility. It can even spread to other organs and cause complications or even death. Offspring of the STI patient may be affected as well.
Our Female STI Test covers the following items:
1. Chlamydia Trachomatis DNA
Most people who have chlamydia don’t notice any symptoms.
If you do get symptoms, these usually appear between 1 and 3 weeks after having unprotected sex with an infected person. For some people they don’t develop until many months later.Sometimes the symptoms can disappear after a few days. Even if the symptoms disappear you may still have the infection and be able to pass it on.
Symptoms in women
Most women with chlamydia don’t notice any symptoms. If they do get symptoms, the most common include:
pain when urinating
unusual vaginal discharge
pain in the tummy or pelvis
pain during sex
bleeding after sex
bleeding between periods
If chlamydia is left untreated, it can spread to the womb and cause a serious condition called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This is a major cause of ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women.
Symptoms in men
At least half of all men with chlamydia don’t notice any symptoms. If they do get symptoms, the most common include:
pain when urinating
white, cloudy or watery discharge from the tip of the penis
burning or itching in the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body)
pain in the testicles
If chlamydia is left untreated, the infection can cause swelling in the epididymis (the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles) and the testicles. This could affect your fertility.
2. Neisseria Gonorrhoeae
Most people with gonorrhea are asymptomatic .
Gonorrhea Symptoms in men:a white, yellow, or green urethral discharge that usually appears one to fourteen days after infection. In cases where urethral infection is complicated by epididymitis, men with gonorrhea may also complain of testicular or scrotal pain.
Gonorrhea Symptoms in women:
They are often so mild and nonspecific that they are mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection.
Dysuria, increased vaginal discharge, or vaginal bleeding between periods. Women with gonorrhea are at risk of developing serious complications from the infection, regardless of the presence or severity of symptoms.
Symptoms of rectal infection in both men and women may include discharge, anal itching, soreness, bleeding, or painful bowel movements. Rectal infection also may be asymptomatic. Pharyngeal infection may cause a sore throat, but usually is asymptomatic .
There are various types of mycoplasma bacteria, but most of them are harmless. The ones you may have to worry about are:
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Mycoplasma genitalium
Mycoplasma hominis
Ureaplasma urealyticum
Ureaplasma parvum
3. Mycoplasma Genitalium
MG doesn’t always cause symptoms, so it’s possible to have it and not know it.
In men, the symptoms are:
Watery discharge from your penis
Burning, stinging, or pain when you pee
The symptoms for women are:
Discharge from your vagina
Pain during sex
Bleeding after sex
Bleeding between periods
Pain in your pelvic area below your belly button
MG can cause a number of complications:
A problem that makes your urethra irritated, swollen, and itchy, called urethritis. It can happen to men and women.
An infection of a woman’s reproductive organs, called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can make it hard to get pregnant.
An inflamed cervix, called cervicitis
4. Mycoplasma Hominis
These bacteria live in the urinary tract and genitals of about half of all women and fewer men. They rarely cause an infection. Women with a weakened immune system — your body’s defense against germs — are most at risk.
You can sometimes pick up this infection during sex. The bacteria can also pass from a mother to her baby during childbirth.
If you’re a woman, these bacteria may be linked to pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection of your reproductive organs. They can also lead to problems if you’re pregnant, such as:
the embryo grows outside the uterus)
Early delivery
Miscarriage
Mycoplasma hominis can also cause a fever and infection in your newborn baby.
5. Ureaplasma Urealyticum and 6. Ureaplasma Parvum
Most healthy women have these bacteria in their cervix or vagina, and a smaller number of men also have them in their urethra. Normally, they don’t cause any problems.
Ureaplasma can spread during sex. If you’re pregnant and you’re infected, you can pass the bacteria to your baby in the womb or during childbirth.
Most healthy women have these bacteria in their cervix or vagina, and a smaller number of men also have them in their urethra. Men who are infected can get inflammation of the urethra, called urethritis. Some symptoms women can get are:
It hurts when you pee
Belly pain
Pain, odor, or discharge from the vagina
Swelling at the opening of the urethra
Discharge from the urethra
7. Herpes simplex virus I and II
Oral herpes infection is mostly asymptomatic, and the majority of people with HSV-1 infection are unaware they are infected. Symptoms of oral herpes include painful blisters or open sores called ulcers in or around the mouth. Sores on the lips are commonly referred to as “cold sores.” Infected persons will often experience a tingling, itching or burning sensation around their mouth, before the appearance of sores. After initial infection, the blisters or ulcers can periodically recur. The frequency of recurrences varies from person to person.
Genital herpes caused by HSV-1 can be asymptomatic or can have mild symptoms that go unrecognized. When symptoms do occur, genital herpes is characterised by 1 or more genital or anal blisters or ulcers. After an initial genital herpes episode, which may be severe, symptoms may recur, but genital herpes caused by HSV-1 often does not recur frequently.
8. Trichomonas Vaginalis DNA
Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a tiny parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis (TV).
Symptoms of Trichomoniasis
They usually develop within a month of infection.
But up to half of all people will not develop any symptoms (though they can still pass the infection on to others).
The symptoms of trichomoniasis are similar to those of many other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), so it can sometimes be difficult to diagnose.
Symptoms in women
abnormal vaginal discharge that may be thick, thin or frothy and yellow-green in colour
producing more discharge than normal, which may also have an unpleasant fishy smell
soreness, swelling and itching around the vagina – sometimes the inner thighs also become itchy
pain or discomfort when passing urine or having sex
Symptoms in men
pain when peeing or during ejaculation
needing to pee more frequently than usual
thin, white discharge from the penis
soreness, swelling and redness around the head of the penis or foreskin
9. Candida Albicans DNA
Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by yeasts that belong to the genus Candida. Some of the hundreds of Candida species can cause infection in humans; the most common is Candida albicans. Candida normally lives inside the body (in places such as the mouth, throat, gut, and vagina) and on the skin without causing any problems. Candida yeasts can cause infections if they grow out of control or if they enter deep into the body (for example, the bloodstream or internal organs like the kidney, heart, or brain).
Candidiasis that develops in the mouth or throat is called “thrush” or oropharyngeal candidiasis. Candidiasis in the vagina is commonly referred to as a “yeast infection.” Invasive candidiasis occurs when Candida species enter the bloodstream and affect internal organs like the kidney, heart, or brain. Click the links below for more information on the different types of Candida infections.
10. Gardnerella Vaginalis
Women diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis do not have symptoms. In others, it causes an unpleasant “fishy” vaginal odor and a yellow or white vaginal discharge. For some women, these symptoms are especially bothersome during or after intercourse. The discharge seen in bacterial vaginosis tends to be thinner than the “cheesy,” thick discharge seen in vaginal yeast (Candida) infections. Bacterial vaginosis usually does not cause significant irritation of the vulva or pain during intercourse.
11. Streptococcus A/B DNA
Strep is short for Streptococcus, a type of bacteria. There are several types. Two of them cause most of the strep infections in people: group A and group B.
Group A strep causes
Strep throat – a sore, red throat. Your tonsils may be swollen and have white spots on them.
Scarlet fever – an illness that follows strep throat. It causes a red rash on the body.
Impetigo – a skin infection
Toxic shock syndrome
Cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease)
Group B strep can cause blood infections, pneumonia and meningitis in newborns. A screening test during pregnancy can tell if you have it. If you do, intravenous (IV) antibiotics during labor can save your baby’s life. Adults can also get group B strep infections, especially if they are 65 or older or already have health problems. Strep B can cause urinary tract infections, blood infections, skin infections and pneumonia in adults.
12. HIV
Stage 1: Acute HIV Infection
Within 2 to 4 weeks after infection with HIV, about two-thirds of people will have a flu-like illness. This is the body’s natural response to HIV infection.
Flu-like symptoms can include:
Fever
Chills
Rash
Night sweats
Muscle aches
Sore throat
Fatigue
Swollen lymph nodes
Mouth ulcers
These symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. But some people do not have any symptoms at all during this early stage of HIV.
Stage 2: Clinical Latency
In this stage, the virus still multiplies, but at very low levels. People in this stage may not feel sick or have any symptoms. This stage is also called chronic HIV infection. Without HIV treatment, people can stay in this stage for 10 or 15 years, but some move through this stage faster.
If you take HIV treatment every day, exactly as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load, you can protect your health and prevent transmission to others. But if your viral load is detectable, you can transmit HIV during this stage, even when you have no symptoms. It’s important to see your health care provider regularly to get your level checked.
Stage 3: AIDS
If you have HIV and you are not on HIV treatment, eventually the virus will weaken your body’s immune system and you will progress to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). This is the late stage of HIV infection.
Symptoms of AIDS can include:
Rapid weight loss
Recurring fever or profuse night sweats
Extreme and unexplained tiredness
Prolonged swelling of the lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck
Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week
Sores of the mouth, anus, or genitals
Pneumonia
Red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids
Memory loss, depression, and other neurologic disorders
Each of these symptoms can also be related to other illnesses. The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested.
13. Syphilis (Treponema Pallidum)
The symptoms of syphilis are similar for men and women. They’re often mild and difficult to recognise, and you may pass on the infection without knowing you have it.
The symptoms tend to change over time and may come and go.
Even if the symptoms do improve, there’s still a risk you could pass the infection on or develop serious problems if you don’t get treatment.
Early symptoms of syphilis
The first symptoms of syphilis usually develop around 2 or 3 weeks after infection, although they can start later than this.
This stage of the infection is known as “primary syphilis”.
the main symptom is a small, painless sore or ulcer called a chancre that you might not notice
the sore will typically be on the penis, vagina, or around the anus, although it can sometimes appear in the mouth or on the lips, fingers or buttocks
most people only have one sore, but some people have several
you may also have swollen glands in your neck, groin or armpits
These symptoms usually pass within 2 to 8 weeks. But if the infection isn’t treated, it may progress to a second stage.
Later symptoms of syphilis
Further symptoms may develop a few weeks after the initial symptoms have passed. This is known as “secondary syphilis”.
Symptoms of secondary syphilis include:
a blotchy red rash that can appear anywhere on the body, but often develops on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
small skin growths (similar to genital warts) – on women these often appear on the vulva and for both men and women they may appear around the anus
white patches in the mouth
flu-like symptoms, such as tiredness, headaches, joint pains and a high temperature (fever)
swollen glands
occasionally, patchy hair loss
These symptoms usually pass within a few weeks, although they may come and go over several months before they disappear.
You’ll still be infected even if you don’t have symptoms. This is known as “latent syphilis” and it can last for decades and lead to serious problems if not treated.
It’s still possible to pass on the infection during this stage, although this usually only happens within 2 years of becoming infected.
Serious problems if left untreated
Without treatment, a syphilis infection can last for years or decades without causing any symptoms.
Eventually, it can spread to parts of the body such as the brain or nerves and cause serious and potentially life-threatening problems. This is known as “tertiary syphilis”.
People with tertiary syphilis may experience:
meningitis
strokes
dementia symptoms
loss of co-ordination
numbness
vision problems or blindness
heart problems
Syphilis is still treatable at this stage, but it’s sometimes not possible to reverse any damage that’s already been done.
For more details on the program, please click on the program.
Female STI Test
Chlamydia Trachomatis DNA
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae DNA
Mycoplasma Genitalium DNA
Mycoplasma Hominis DNA
Ureaplasma Parvum DNA
Ureaplasma Urealyticum DNA
Herpers Simplex Virus I and II DNA
Trichomonas Vaginalis DNA
Candida Albicans DNA
Gardnerella Vaginalis DNA
Streptococcus A/B DNA
HIV Ag+Ab Combo Test
Treponema Pallidum Antibody (Syphilis)