[Question #5125] STD Testing Window Periods

77 months ago

Good morning. For education purposes, what are the testing "window periods" for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Herpes 1 (HSV-1), Herpes 2 (HSV-2), and Syphilis. Dr. Hook mentioned Gonorrhea and Syphilis as possibilities from my recent receipt of oral sex but was just curious about when a negative test result from the different types of test are conclusive.

I have noticed a number (5 or 6) of very small pimples/bumps on my torso from my belly button to my chest. She did kiss me there during our last encounter 14 days ago. The first bump/pimple appeared at about 12 days. Is this anything to be concerned about?

Thanks for again for your time.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

77 months ago

First, for both gonorrhea and syphlis, absence of symptoms (in a few days for gonorrhea, within 2-3 weeks for syphilis) is almost 100% conclusive that neither infection was acquired, so testing really isn't necessary. No STD causes the sorts of skin rashes you describe; these are nothing to worry about.

Window periods:

Chlamydia and gonorrhea (urine testing or swab testing) 4-5 days.

Blood test for HSV, both types, 12-16 weeks.

All others mentioned, 6 weeks.

This is your eighth or ninth question about obviously low to zero risk events. The forum does not permit repeated questions on the same or similar topics by the same users. This will have to be your last one; future new questions will be deleted without reply and without refund of the posting fee. This policy is based on compassion, not criticism, and is designed to reduce temptations to keep paying for questions with obvious answers; because experience shows that continued answers tends to simply prolong such anxieties, when the real answer normally should be professional counseling; and because such questions have little educational value for other users, one of the forum's main purposes. Thank you for your understanding.

---
---