What STI tests do I need?
The honest answer: it depends on your age, sex, what you’ve done, and whether you have symptoms. CDC’s STI Treatment Guidelines and USPSTF’s preventive recommendations form the basis for routine screening. This page summarizes them in plain English. It’s a decision aid, not a clinical recommendation — talk to a clinician for personalized guidance.
Short answer
- If you’re sexually active and looking for routine baseline screening: HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis are a reasonable starting panel for most adults.
- CDC recommends adults aged 18+ get screened for hepatitis C at least once, and adults at risk for hepatitis B at least once (universal HBV screening recommended in 2023 CDC guidance).
- HSV serology is not recommended for routine screening of asymptomatic adults — false positives are common and a positive can have psychosocial harms.
- Specific groups need more: MSM and people on PrEP need 3-site testing more frequently; pregnant people need an STI screening panel at the first prenatal visit.
Routine screening — baseline by population
| Who | Routine tests | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| All adults aged 13–64 | HIV at least once | One-time + annually if at risk |
| All adults aged 18–79 | Hepatitis C at least once | One-time |
| Sexually active women ≤24 | Chlamydia + Gonorrhea | Annually |
| Women 25+ at increased risk | Chlamydia + Gonorrhea | Annually |
| Men who have sex with men | HIV, Syphilis, CT/GC at all sites of contact (urethral, rectal, pharyngeal) | At least annually; every 3–6 months if higher risk |
| People on HIV PrEP | HIV, CT, GC, Syphilis, renal function | Every 3 months per CDC PrEP guidance |
| Pregnant people | HIV, Syphilis, Hep B, Hep C, CT/GC | First prenatal visit; rescreen 3rd trimester if at risk |
| Adolescents/adults at risk for HBV | Hepatitis B (HBsAg, anti-HBs, total anti-HBc) | At least once (CDC 2023 guidance: universal screening) |
Sources: CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021), USPSTF A/B recommendations, CDC PrEP guidance, CDC HBV/HCV screening recommendations.
After a specific exposure
If you had a specific high-risk exposure (e.g., condom break, partner disclosed an STI, assault), the panel and timing differ from routine screening. General CDC guidance:
- Within 72 hours: consider HIV PEP and/or doxy-PEP via a clinician (the windows are narrow).
- Baseline now: HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B/C, plus a CT/GC NAAT at sites of exposure.
- Repeat at 2 weeks: CT/GC if symptoms develop or for confirmation in some scenarios.
- Repeat at 4–6 weeks: HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab is typically conclusive by ~45 days).
- Repeat at 3 months: syphilis and hepatitis if at higher risk; rescreen for CT/GC after a positive treatment per CDC.
These are general timing windows from CDC guidance; the right plan for you depends on the specific exposure and your clinician’s assessment.
Tests that aren’t routinely recommended
- HSV serology for asymptomatic adults. CDC and USPSTF do not recommend routine HSV serologic screening — false positives are common, the result doesn’t reliably predict transmission, and a positive can cause significant distress without changing clinical management.
- HPV testing in men. No FDA-approved HPV test for routine screening in men; HPV vaccination is the prevention strategy.
- Mycoplasma genitalium without symptoms. CDC suggests testing in specific clinical contexts (e.g., persistent urethritis) rather than asymptomatic screening.
If you have symptoms
Symptoms (discharge, sores, painful urination, pelvic pain, rash, lymph node swelling) call for clinician evaluation, not just a screening panel. Tests in a symptomatic context are diagnostic — the panel may include things outside routine screening, and the visit is unlikely to be coded preventive for insurance purposes.
Sources: CDC STI Screening Recommendations · USPSTF A/B Recommendations · CDC HBV Screening (2023) · CDC PrEP Guidance. Verified May 2, 2026.
This page is a decision aid — general information, not medical advice. See methodology for how we rank options.