Testing & Sexual Health

HIV stands for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and the two main ways it can be acquired include: vaginal/frontal/anal sex and shared needle or drug equipment use. It can only be passed through: blood, semen (including pre-cum), rectal fluid, vaginal fluid, breast milk. You can not acquire HIV from hugging, kissing, or eating a meal made by someone living with HIV. 

In 2021, we have highly effective treatment that can keep the virus in such good control that people living with HIV live long healthy lives and can not pass HIV to a sexual partner. (Or to a fetus during pregnancy). This is known as undetectable. Learn more here

Some people may experience symptoms when they first acquire HIV. These can occur 2-4 weeks after and may include: rash, fever, sore throat, and weight loss. Many people do not have any symptoms at first. This is why it is important to get tested. 1 in 7 people living with HIV in Canada are unaware.

If left untreated HIV can lead to health complications, including severe infections and AIDS. This is less common in Canada compared to some other countries as many people have access to care and medication – although there are still many barriers for some. It is important to get on treatment as soon as possible. Many support programs are available to help with the cost of medication and our team can assist you.

It can take 4 weeks after a risk for 95% of people to test positive on an HIV test, 6 weeks for 99%. There is currently no vaccine for HIV but PrEP is a medication people who are HIV-negative can take regularly to reduce their risk by up to 99%. Learn more about it here

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that can be treated with antibiotics. It can be acquired through sexual activity including: oral sex, rimming, and anal/frontal/vaginal sex. 

It can take up to 3 months for symptoms to appear. There are different stages for syphilis. In the first stage, one or more painless sores can develop on the genitals, anus or mouth and are infectious. In the second stage, a person may get a rash. If left untreated syphilis can lead to damage to organs like the brain and heart. Screening for this is important during routine sexual health testing. 

Once treated a person will need follow-up monitoring to ensure the treatment is effective. 

Gonorrhea and chlamydia are common sexually transmitted bacterial infections. These can typically be effectively cured with antibiotics, although some more resistant types (harder to treat) have been found. Symptoms for these are often similar and depend on where the infection is located. These bacteria can be found in the throat, rectum, or genitals. You may not have any symptoms. 

Genital symptoms: pain during urination, discharge, itchiness, pain and swelling 

Throat symptoms: sore throat, swollen glands

Rectal symptoms: discharge, itchiness, rectal bleeding 

Some clinics only do urine testing, and this is not appropriate in most cases. A negative screen in the urine does not mean that gonorrhea or chlamydia are not present in the throat or rectum. And since many people don’t have symptoms, they may not even know they have these infections and can pass them on. 

Swab testing at these sites are strongly recommended and we ensure patients at our clinic complete these tests too! For people engaging in oral sex a throat swab is needed, and for people who are the receptive partner (“bottom”) a rectal swab is done as well.

If you are ever treated for gonorrhea of the throat it is important to get a test of cure swab (repeat swab to make sure infection has cleared).

Learn more about the importance of swabbing here: Go Swab Yourself

Hepatitis is a viral infection that can cause inflammation of the liver. There are three types that are routinely screened for: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. (If on PrEP these are typically screened for once a year). 

Hepatitis A is typically more associated with travelling and eating undercooked food, however it can be acquired through some sexual acts such as rimming. Hepatitis A can make a person quite sick however most people do recover from it.

Hepatitis B can be acquired a few ways including through sexual activity. In Ontario, Hepatitis B is part of routine immunization in school but some people either were never vaccinated, or their immunity has worn off. Most people who acquire Hepatitis B will rid of it, however in some people it can remain as a lifelong infection.

In Ontario, Hepatitis A and B vaccines are available free through your local sexual health clinic for people at risk. Patients can also get these for free at our Toronto, Brampton and Ottawa clinics. The clinic team can also prescribe it for you to complete at a local pharmacy.

If you are on PrEP, your care provider should offer these to you if not immune. At The PrEP Clinic we make sure all of our patients are offered the appropriate vaccines for their sexual health. Learn more here

Hepatitis C is more commonly acquired through intravenous drug use but can also be acquired through sex. Hepatitis C was previously a lifelong infection but is now 95% curable. There is currently no vaccine for this specific Hepatitis.

As part of routine sexual health screening, a pregnancy test may also be included.