Getting Tested for STIs
Testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea is easy - just a urine sample. Syphilis, Hepatitis, HIV, and the HSV antibody tests are blood tests. Herpes can also be tested with a swab of an active sore. Genital wart-causing strains of HPV can be diagnosed with a visual exam by a healthcare professional. Physical exams can detect Trichomonas.
Where?
Sexual Health Centre Saskatoon offers free STI testing at our walk-in clinic on Wednesday nights from 7 to 9 p.m.
Public Health also has a STI clinic on Idylwyld Drive North (100-310 Idylwyld Drive North), offering free, anonymous STI screening. Their hours are:
Mondays and Fridays: 1 - 4 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursdays: 3 - 6 p.m.
You can also request STI testing from your doctor, a Community Clinic, or a MediClinic.
Positive Test Results?
If you have received positive results from your STI test, you should return to the doctor/clinic you had the testing done for treatment. If you currently have a sexual partner, bring him/her with you for treatment, too.
Some STIs will require you to complete a form, verifying treatment was given. These include Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis, Herpes (swabs, not the antibody test), Syphilis, and HIV.