Getting retested for an STD can prevent spreading the infection to someone else. This is especially important if you previously tested positive or have had new sexual partners since the first test.
However, when to get retested depends on the STD. This article explores when to get retested for various STDs and when it's safe to resume having sex.
Here are 10 of the most commonly tested STDs and information on when to get retested after treatment.
Get retested for chlamydia 3 months after finishing treatment. If you retest negative, the infection has cleared.
Your partner should also get tested and undergo treatment if positive.
Resume having sex with your partner 7 days after you both complete the treatment.
Getting reinfected with gonorrhea, even with treatment, is common, especially within the first 6 months.1
Get retested about 3 months after treatment, and encourage your partner to get tested and treated if positive.
A negative result means you're in the clear. Resume having sex 7 days after you and your partner complete treatment.2
Oftentimes, chlamydia and gonorrhea infections occur together, emphasizing the importance of testing for both.
No specific treatment exists for hepatitis A. Your body clears the virus on its own, offering lifelong protection.3
However, if an initial test yields negative or indeterminate results even though you're displaying symptoms, get retested within a few days. Hepatitis A takes about 14 to 28 days to mature in the body.
If positive, avoid having sex for at least 2 weeks.
Chronic hepatitis B is a lifelong infection. However, regular testing and treatment can minimize its impact. Your healthcare provider may conduct the occasional blood test after diagnosis to confirm your status.
Acute hepatitis B only lasts for a few weeks. Wait until symptoms disappear and you retest negative before having sex.
With chronic hepatitis B, use protection to avoid spreading it.
Retest for hepatitis C after 3 months to confirm test results, especially if you've faced potential exposure to the infection within the prior 6 months.
If you've tested positive in the past and completed treatment, retest with the NAT HCV RNA test to check current infection status.4
The risk of spreading hepatitis C through sex is low, unless you experience bleeding. However, refrain from having sex until you retest negative.
Symptoms of herpes I can take days or weeks to show. If an early test shows a negative result, get retested after a few days.
Oral herpes is a lifelong condition. Receive treatment during an outbreak or flare, as you're most contagious during this time.
Outbreaks are most severe when they first occur but become milder over time.
Antiviral medications help reduce viral shedding resulting in transmission, even if you don't experience symptoms. Otherwise, herpes remains dormant in your system.
Wait until cold sores completely heal before having sex or kissing your partner. If you test positive for genital herpes but not oral herpes, retest for the latter.
Your doctor may also recommend retesting at certain intervals to monitor your viral load.
Herpes II is a lifelong infection, but a doctor can offer treatment advice to manage outbreaks or flare-ups.
During outbreaks, you carry the highest viral load and are most contagious. Outbreaks are most severe when they first happen but become milder in future occurrences.
Taking an antiviral medication can reduce viral shedding that leads to transmission, even if you're asymptomatic.5 Otherwise, the infection remains dormant in your body.
Avoid having sex during a herpes outbreak. Once sores heal and scabs fall off, wait a day or two before resuming sex.
If you test positive for oral herpes but not genital herpes, retest for the latter. Your doctor may also suggest the occasional retest to monitor your potential for transmission.
If you test negative after exposure to HIV-1 or HIV-2, you likely don't need to retest unless you have a new sexual partner. In that case, retest 1 to 3 months after suspected exposure, unless it's with an HIV RNA early detection test.6 This testing method can produce reliable results just 10 days after exposure.
However, get retested every 6 to 12 months if you have an ongoing risk, such as an HIV-positive partner.
If you're HIV positive and receiving treatment, you can safely resume having sex once your viral load has been undetectable for at least 6 months.
Get retested for syphilis 6 to 12 months after starting treatment.7 Those who have syphilis and HIV should retest every 3 months.
Your partner should also get tested and receive treatment if positive.
If you test negative, this means the penicillin worked and cured the infection. Resume having sex 2 weeks after you and your partner complete treatment.
Other common STDs are also important to retest for.
Examples include:
Women should get retested 3 months after treatment due to high reinfection rates.8 A negative result means you're cured. Wait one week after treatment to resume sex.
Consider retesting about a month after treatment to confirm you're cured. Once you've completed treatment and symptoms have resolved, wait one week before resuming sex.
If HPV positive, your doctor may recommend retesting every 3 years, depending on the strain.9 Most people clear the infection within 2 years.
Refrain from having sex until after treatment.
Getting retested for an STD not only protects you but also your sexual partner. When to get retested depends on the STD, treatment process and length of recovery.
In most cases, you can resume having sex after completing treatment or managing symptoms.
That said, take precautions, like using protection during sex, to avoid reinfection and protect your sexual health.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gonorrhea/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351780
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hepatitis-a/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20367055
https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/genital-herpes-pregnancy
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/trichomoniasis.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/hpv-cancer.htm
Other sources:
