Custom STI Test

You may consider testing if you have new or multiple partners, symptoms, or concerns about exposure. Routine STI testing is also recommended for sexually active individuals as part of preventive care.

Lab-based testing, like the Custom STI Test, is considered highly reliable. Your testing will be performed in a CLIA-certified clinical laboratory. Labcorp provides leading-edge medical laboratory tests and services through a national network of primary clinical laboratories and specialty testing laboratories. Our labs perform regular quality assurance testing to ensure our results are accurate.

This Custom STI Test is available for those who are aged 18 and older and are sexually active. As for STI testing frequency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following¹:

All sexually active people ages 13 to 64 should be tested:
 

• At least once for HIV

Sexually active men who are gay or bisexual and men who have sex with men should be tested:
 

• For syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea at least once a year. Those with multiple or anonymous partners should be tested more frequently (e.g., every 3 to 6 months)
• For HIV at least once a year and may benefit from more frequent HIV testing (e.g., every 3 to 6 months)
• For hepatitis C, at least once a year, if living with HIV

All sexually active women younger than 25 years should be tested:
 

• For gonorrhea and chlamydia every year

Women 25 years and older with risk factors should be tested:
 

• For gonorrhea and chlamydia every year. For HIV every year or more frequently (e.g. every 3 to 6 months). Risk factors include having new partners, multiple partners or a partner who has an STI

While testing for herpes virus in the absence of symptoms or known exposure is not currently recommended due to limitations with available tests, testing can be helpful if you have a sex partner with genital herpes, history of genital lesions, or known exposure to HSV.    

Screening can help identify infections early, reduce the risk of complications, and support informed decisions about treatment and lifestyle.

There’s generally a period of time, called a “window period,” before a test will show positive after an exposure, and it varies depending on the specific STI.³ The window period can vary by person and test method. Sometimes a person may test positive during the early detection period, especially if they are symptomatic. However, if testing is too early, an infection may not be detected, potentially resulting in a false negative result. The timing of potential exposure needs to be taken into consideration during results interpretation, especially if there is an ongoing concern about the possibility of infection (e.g., persistent symptoms). Speak with a healthcare provider about the best timing for your test.

You’ll be able to view your results for each test in your Labcorp Patient™ account as they become available. This test includes multiple tests, and you should be able to see all your test results online within 1-4 days of when your samples arrive at our lab.

Your testing will be performed in a CLIA-certified clinical laboratory. Labcorp provides leading-edge medical laboratory tests and services through a national network of primary clinical laboratories and specialty testing laboratories. Our labs perform regular quality assurance testing to ensure our results are accurate.

Your results will be provided to you through our secure online portal to view or print. Results are also made available through a secure portal to the independent healthcare provider who placed your test order.  If you are accessing your results through your Labcorp Patient™ account, all users linked to the account will have access to all OnDemand test results. Results may also be provided to a local, state, and/or federal health authority; for example, many states require the testing laboratory and physician to report test results for certain communicable diseases, such as COVID-19, to local or state health departments.

If you have questions or comments regarding the Labcorp Notice of Privacy Practices, or have a complaint about our use or disclosure of your PHI or our privacy practices, please contact: privacyofficer@labcorp.com, call us at (877) 234-4722 (877-23-HIPAA) and ask for the Labcorp HIPAA Privacy Officer, or send a written request to: HIPAA Privacy Officer, Labcorp, 531 South Spring Street, Burlington, NC 27215. You also may file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Visit the Labcorp OnDemand® website to browse and purchase laboratory tests and create your Labcorp Patient™ account to view your results. All Labcorp OnDemand testing requires an order from an authorized healthcare professional. For your convenience, Labcorp OnDemand has contracted with independent professional entities (collectively, Providers) to deliver healthcare provider services. Visit a Labcorp location for sample collection; or, if using an at-home collection kit, collect your sample yourself. We’ll let you know when your results are ready and can be accessed through your Labcorp Patient™ account.

To align with clinical best practices, we’ve set an age maximum of 100 for consumer-initiated testing. This limit was set to encourage individuals in more advanced age groups - who may have complex medical needs - to receive personalized guidance about testing from their healthcare providers.