Chlamydia Testing

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, which can damage a woman's reproductive organs.

Even though symptoms of Chlamydia are usually mild or absent, serious complications that cause irreversible damage, including infertility, can occur "silently" before a woman ever recognizes a problem.

Chlamydia also can cause discharge from the penis of an infected man.

Herpes Testing

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) or type 2 (HSV-2). Most genital herpes is caused by HSV-2. Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection.

When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur.

Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first, but it almost always is less severe and shorter than the first outbreak.

Although the infection can stay in the body indefinitely, the number of outbreaks tends to decrease over a period of years.

We will test for the following Herpes infections:

• Herpes Simplex I
• Herpes Simplex II

Gonorrhea Testing

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

Gonorrhea is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract, including the cervix (opening to the womb), uterus (womb), and fallopian tubes (egg canals) in women, and in the urethra (urine canal) in women and men.

The bacterium can also grow in the mouth, throat, eyes, and anus.

HIV Antibody Testing

HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus. It is the virus that can lead to acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS. CDC estimates that about 56,000 people in the United States contracted HIV in 2006.

HIV damages a person's body by destroying specific blood cells, called CD4+ T cells, which are crucial to helping the body fight diseases.

HIV can progress to AIDS, a potentially life threatening disease further weakening the immune system, leaving the body susceptible to infection.

Hepatitis B Testing

Hepatitis B Surface Antigen w/ Neutralization Confirmation

This blood test is the earliest indicator of acute Hepatitis B. This test can also distinguish between carriers of Hepatitis B and active infections through its confirmation process. What is "confirmation by neutralization"? That means if you have a positive or borderline positive result, the lab will immediately run another test on the blood sample to confirm the finding, at no extra charge.

HIV DNA Testing

Hepatitis C Testing

Hepatitis C Antibody Test

The Hepatitis C Surface Antibody Test (Anti-HBs) is a blood test that looks for antibodies to the Hepatitis C virus. What does this mean? If you have been exposed to the virus, your body will make antibodies to fight the virus.

Hepatitis A, B, and C affect liver function and can lead to severe liver damage and liver cancer. While some cases of hepatitis A can be transmitted through water or food that is contaminated with fecal matter, often, all forms of hepatitis are transmitted through sexual contact or needle sharing. Vaccinations are available to help prevent Hepatitis A, B, and C.

Syphilis Testing

Syphilis Rapid Plasma Reagin Test (RPR) Test with Reflex to Quantitative RPR and Confirmatory TP-PA

The Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) Test is a simple blood test that looks for antibodies the body makes to fight the syphilis infection. It can take 4 to 6 weeks after infection for antibodies to be found.

It's also important to know that if you've had syphilis in the past and were treated for it, the test results could still be positive. Always keep a copy of your health records to show your doctor if you test positive again for syphilis.

This screening test is very sensitive but not very specific.

What does that mean? It means it's possible to get a "false-positive" result. If you get a positive result, your doctor will order another more specific test for confirmation.