Comprehensive STI Screen

Mycoplasma genitalium is a small bacterial STI that is increasingly recognised as a significant cause of sexually transmitted infection but is not tested on standard NHS STI screens. It is associated with urethritis in men (causing discharge and discomfort) and with pelvic inflammatory disease, cervicitis, and preterm birth in women. It is often entirely asymptomatic. What makes Mycoplasma genitalium clinically important is its high rate of resistance to azithromycin, the antibiotic typically used to treat chlamydia and sometimes presumptively used for non-gonococcal urethritis. Standard chlamydia treatment can fail against Mycoplasma and may select for further resistance, which is why specific detection and resistance-informed treatment is essential.

Not necessarily. HSV IgG antibodies indicate past exposure to herpes simplex virus. Once infected, HSV establishes a lifelong latent infection in nerve ganglia, with periodic reactivation and viral shedding. A positive IgG means you have been infected at some point; it does not tell you whether you are currently experiencing an active outbreak or asymptomatically shedding the virus. Asymptomatic shedding does occur and represents the primary mode of sexual transmission to uninfected partners. If you have a positive HSV-2 result, your physician commentary will provide guidance on suppressive antiviral therapy, disclosure strategies, and risk reduction.

The hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) test detects exposure to the hepatitis B virus core protein, which appears regardless of whether the infection was acute, chronic, or resolved. A positive anti-HBc with a negative surface antigen (HBsAg) typically indicates a past resolved hepatitis B infection. A positive HBsAg indicates current infection. Testing both together distinguishes active infection from resolved past infection and also from vaccine-induced immunity, which produces surface antibody (anti-HBs) but not core antibody. If you have been vaccinated against hepatitis B, your core antibody will be negative and surface antibody positive — a reassuring pattern.

No. Hepatitis A is transmitted primarily by the faecal-oral route rather than sexual contact, though it can be transmitted sexually through certain practices. Hepatitis A testing is not included in this panel; if you require hepatitis A screening, this can be arranged through your GP or a specialist travel clinic. Hepatitis A vaccination is available on the NHS for individuals in high-risk groups and is recommended before travel to many countries.

Yes, if you have been sexually active since your last test. A negative result reflects your status at the time of collection, not indefinitely. Many sexual health guidelines recommend testing every 3 months for individuals with multiple partners or higher-risk exposure patterns, and at least annually for all sexually active adults. Testing is a regular health habit rather than a one-off event, in the same way that blood pressure or dental checks are repeated periodically. Regular testing also allows the detection of antibiotic resistance patterns in recurrent bacterial infections.

Trichomonas vaginalis is a single-celled parasite transmitted through sexual contact with an infected person. It is the most common curable sexually transmitted infection globally, estimated to affect over 150 million people worldwide each year. The majority of infected individuals — particularly men — are asymptomatic, making it easy to pass on unknowingly. When symptoms do occur in women, they typically include an unpleasant-smelling, frothy yellow-green discharge, vaginal soreness and itching, and pain on urination. In men, symptoms are usually mild or absent but can include urethral discharge or discomfort. Trichomonas is readily treatable with a single dose of metronidazole, and sexual partners should be treated simultaneously.