Dr. Leandro: I went in for an HIV test and my doctor said he was testing me for other STDs too. Is that normal? As a gay man, what should I be tested for and how often?
Dr. Demetre: You have some questions? We know HIV. Dr. David: I’m a doctor. I’m trained for this.
Dr. Leandro: We’re gonna give you what you need. So, sexually transmitted infections are important factors in both the transmission and acquisition of HIV. So, it’s important as a gay man to make sure not only that you’re HIV negative, and if you’re HIV positive making sure that you’re not also carrying any other sexually transmitted infections that can actually not only affect your health, but facilitate both the transmission of STDs and HIV. The most common STDs that we test for are gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis, herpes. For gonorrhea and chlamydia, it’s important to get tested both in your urethra, in your penis, in your throat, and in your rectum.
Dr. Leandro clears things up by sharing all of the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) gay men should be tested for and why.
