I have a question about a positive Gardnerella test for a male. I've been in a monogamous relationship for 7 years. I recently messed up. I was on a business trip and got intoxicated at the hotel bar and met a girl. She went and put on a swimsuit to go into the pool but we ended up in my room instead. We french kissed. I was rubbing her vagina with my fingers on top of her swimsuit (so there was a cloth barrier). I then took out my penis with the same hand I was using on her and rubbed it and then placed her hand on my penis and she stroked it for a few minutes. Then I came to my senses and stopped everything.  Told her to leave. I am paranoid about STDs.  I waited for a full 16 weeks and tested for the following:

HIV RNA, HIV 4th gen, Herpes 1&2 IGG, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Trichomoniasis, Hepatitis A/B/C, Syphilis, Mycoplasma Genitalium...all NEGATIVE

Then I saw on a UK test site a mail in test that had other things offered: Herpes 1&2 urine test, Mycoplasma Gen, Ureaplasma, Gardnerella. I bought and mailed that in and all were negative but Gardnerella was positive.

I went to my Urologist. He ran a panel from Molecular Testing labs and called the UTI Panel/Poly microbial and tested for Gram neg, Gram pos, and fungi. All came back negative. Gardnerella was not tested for. I asked why and he said that was the most extensive testing possible he could do. Said to ignore the mail in test and there was no need for any treatment. That I had nothing wrong with me.

Here are my questions:

1. What should I do about this positive Gardnerella test? It seems like the UK includes it in their STI testing but no one else does. Should I get treatment somewhere?

2. Would the contact I had above transfer Gardnerella? Also would it be risky for any other types of STDs if a finger may have actually touched the vaginal fluid and the penis. What about HPV since there is no male test for that?  I do have the Gardasil 4 vaccine as well though.

3. Why do these UK facilities test for Gardnerella in males if it is not considered a STI and there is no treatment for males? I'm beside myself with this and worried sick.

Welcome to the Forum.  Thanks for your questions.  I happened to be on the Forum when your questions arrived so you are receiving a reply more rapidly than is often the case.  Responses to any follow-up questions may take longer.

Thanks for your detailed description of your encounter and test results.  Before I answer your specific questions, let me provide some background information.  These multi-test panels can sometimes cause much confusion.  Some mail in companies use technologies that are not approved or widely accepted and give misinformation.  Others test for non-STI organisms which serve to only cause confusion and anxiety.  Tests for ureaplasma and Gardnerella are amongst the organisms for which testing serves no useful purpose but can set off anxieties and lead to unnecessary treatment.  While I cannot comment on the accuracy of your tests, I can certainly tell you with confidence that Gardnerella is a bacteria normally found in the genital tract.  Overgrowth of this normal bacterium has been associated with bacterial vaginosis in women but it is also normally present in most genital tracts and so a positive test for this organism does NOT warrant concern or treatment. 

In my preliminary comments, I should also add that he activities that you describe during your dalliance are not associated with any risk for acquisition of any sort of infection.  Transfer of genital secretions from person to person in the course of mutual masturbation are no risk activities.

1. What should I do about this positive Gardnerella test? It seems like the UK includes it in their STI testing but no one else does. Should I get treatment somewhere?

I see no need for concern or treatment.

2. Would the contact I had above transfer Gardnerella? Also would it be risky for any other types of STDs if a finger may have actually touched the vaginal fluid and the penis. What about HPV since there is no male test for that?  I do have the Gardasil 4 vaccine as well though.

See my comment above.  The activities you describe do not put you at risk for any STI.  Similarly, I would not worry about acquisition of HPV in this way - no penetration, no risk. 

3. Why do these UK facilities test for Gardnerella in males if it is not considered a STI and there is no treatment for males? I'm beside myself with this and worried sick.

I wish I could answer that.  Sometimes offering tests is done to appeal to potential purchasers without any rationale.  I can only assume that this is what is happening in this case.

I hope this information is helpful.  Please do not worry.  Your activities did not put you at risk and there is no need for treatment of your positive test for Gardnerella.  EWH

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Thank you so much for the reply. It has definitely put my mind to rest on gardnerella.  I do have just one quick follow up question.  When testing for STDs there are so many different "window period" recommendations out there. I decided to take the longest I could possibly find for anything anywhere which was 16 weeks. So instead of taking a few tests sooner and others later I decided to wait so that every single  STD would be covered.  Would you say that from all the tests I took that are mentioned above that 16 weeks would be fully conclusive for everything I tested for?

Thanks for your thanks.  And yes, your 16 week testing makes all of the tests that you had conclusive.  There is absolutely no need for further testing related to the encounter you described.  EWH
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I really have to give praise to this forum because all of you truly relieve the unneeded anxiety the internet can put on people. I’m going to use my final follow up with just one last question for future reference. If I ever have the need to test for STDs in the future, what is the longest time needed to wait so that all tests are covered and all would be conclusive without the need for re-testing? I ask this because virtually every STD testing site has different information. Some say 4-6 weeks for herpes IGG while others say to wait 16 weeks. Some say 6-9 weeks for hepatitis C while others say up to 6 months. So on and so forth. With you and your team being the true experts, what would be the longest time needed to wait to get tested for every STD possible so that each one is covered and nothing would be missed or needed to be re-tested?

As you have learned from your internet searches, you know that different STIs have different "window" periods before test results are conclusive or nearly so.  By and large however, if tests are negative at 3 months, they are conclusive.  Please be aware that within the context of this reply we strongly recommend AGAINST using blood tests for herpes to determine in one was infected.  Further, the nature of HPV testing likewise leads us to recommend against testing of any sort to determine if someone has acquired HPV.   Finally, within the context of your question regarding hepatitis C, other than for recipients of receptive rectal intercourse, sexual intercourse is the only way the hepatitis C is acquired through sexual contact and even in that situation, the risk is quite low. 

This will complete this thread which will be closed shortly without further responses.  EWH

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