Simple and painless, repeated screenings are an excellent risk reduction tool for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A good habit to adopt each season, which we detail for you in partnership with Sexosafe.
HIV, hepatitis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis… Faced with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), we must not bury our heads in the sand. This is what the new Sexosafe campaign reminds us, intended to promote screening every 3 months – one per season, easy to remember – for all gay and bi men who have several partners during the year. A pace whose benefits are the subject of broad consensus but which is still far from being respected by everyone.
“The Sex Report (Eras) surveys, on men who have sex with men, showed us that the recommendations concerning quarterly screening were poorly followed outside of people on PrEP. Gay and bi men with multiple partners have not acquired the reflex”reports Nicolas Etien, Sexosafe project manager at Public Health France. However, STI infections do not always produce symptoms, regular screenings are the only way to know if you are a carrier. But the sooner we know, the better.
To preserve your health
Having this verified information firstly means being able to benefit as soon as possible from appropriate treatment to control or cure the infection before it causes possible complications and after-effects. “It is always better to initiate treatment on an infection ‘young'”, recalls Nicolas Etien, who takes two examples: “When syphilis is treated in the first year, the treatment is much less burdensome than if it has been present for a longer period of time: one antibiotic injection compared to 3, or even hospitalization depending on the case. As for HIV, the sooner anti-retroviral medication is started, the less time the virus has to settle in the body and impact the state of health.”
To protect its partners
Then, getting tested means protecting your partners. On the one hand because knowing your status means being able to warn them if necessary so that they too can be screened and treated. On the other hand, because the treatments, when properly followed, prevent the infection from being transmitted. Early detection therefore makes it possible to limit the number of potentially contaminated partners.
Finally, getting tested every 3 months means establishing a routine that allows you to take the stress out of the tests. Moreover, the preparers already know this, and they easily completed the quarterly tests imposed in France for the prescription of preventive treatment against HIV. “Regular screenings alleviate the fear of the exam and the results”, observes Nicolas Etien, recalling however that the habit of receiving negative reviews should not, conversely, encourage them to be done less often.
In practice
Concretely, which STIs should be screened for routinely every 3 months? In general, here is the combo recommended for gay and bi men with multiple partners:
▶ HIV if you are HIV negative
▶ hepatitis B if you are not vaccinated
▶ hepatitis C if you use syringes or practice fisting
▶ gonocoque
▶ syphilis
▶ chlamydia
Depending on the STI sought, the test consists of a blood test, a urine analysis or local samples. These are painless, causing at worst discomfort when performed in the throat, which can trigger a gag reflex. All of them take little time to make.
To make the routine as simple as possible to set up, different options exist for carrying out the exams. You can go to:
▶ and public or private medical biology laboratory. HIV testing, which can be done without a prescription, is free for everyone. For other STIs, since September 1, there is no longer a need for a prescription either. For under 26ns, everything is 100% supported; otherwise, to benefit from full coverage, you will need a prescription, without which reimbursement is 60% by Health Insurance, the rest can be supplemented by your mutual insurance company.
▶ and free information, screening and diagnosis center (Cegidd) or a sexual health center (the list is available on the Sexosafe website). All screenings are anonymous, free, and without a prescription.
Results are available within 24 hours to a few days. Please note: some HIV associations as well as some Family Planning branches offer free rapid orientation tests (Trod) for HIV and syphilis. It is also possible to purchase HIV self-tests in pharmacies: these are not reimbursed and the results, if positive, must be confirmed by a blood test.
Finally, if the results come back positive for one or more STIs, the first thing to do is not to feel guilty or ashamed: it can happen to anyone! You simply need to go to your doctor to quickly initiate antibiotic and/or antiretroviral treatment. You must then abstain from having sexual relations (especially if they are not protected by a condom) during the entire period when you are contagious, which varies depending on the STI. At the same time, it is always better, when you can, to warn your partners.
Even if you have gotten into the habit of regular screenings, do not wait until the next trimester to carry out a one-off screening if:
▶ you have the slightest doubt
▶ you have symptoms, even simple discomfort (discharge from the urethra, difficulty urinating, spots, itching, pain, fever, etc.)
▶ one of your (ex) partners has notified you that they have an STI.
Illustration credit: Santé Publique France
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