Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea Test Kit

If you find yourself concerned about contracting a serious illness, the last thing you want to be worrying about is the accuracy of an at-home HIV test kit. While HIV testing is available for free with the NHS, you might find yourself unable or unwilling to head to your local GP. You undertake a little investigative work and discover you can buy HIV testing kits online, which can be delivered discreetly to your door. But you may be dubious of the accuracy of these blood tests, which you can take in the comfort of your own home.Here, we'll explore how it is possible to test for HIV at home and uncover the accuracy behind these convenient HIV test kits.What is HIV?Commonly referred to as HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a virus that cannot be beaten by the human body’s natural defence mechanisms. Instead, HIV uses the cells that are usually produced to fight infections and turns them into cells that help the HIV illness to replicate.If left untreated, HIV eventually transforms into Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), in which the sufferer will no longer have any immune system at all. Because of this, the virus is known as degenerative (gets worse over time), and early action can mean you will have access to medication that slows the entire process down.HIV is not the same as AIDS. HIV is the name of the virus, which is transmitted, while AIDS refers to the symptoms which develop when HIV is left untreated. A person with AIDS can still carry and transmit HIV.Should I be concerned about HIV?If you have had unprotected sex with a person who is HIV positive, and have regular casual sex with new partners, then you should be regularly tested for sexually transmitted infections. Similarly, if you are considered “high risk”, it is advised that you take the at-home HIV test kit regularly - these include recreational drug users or those who share needles with others.Testing yourself regularly with an accurate at-home HIV test kit will ensure that you are able to seek medical help as soon as your test results are positive. It also allows you to safeguard other partners and friends with the knowledge of your HIV status.How accurate are HIV home testing kits?Fourth-generation tests are extremely precise, with a 95% accuracy rating within 28 days of exposure, according to a 2018 study by Livant et al. It is recommended, however, that a second test be performed after 3 months of the initial exposure, as the infection may take longer to manifest in some individuals than in others. At three months, the accuracy of the HIV home tests is considered 99.97% accurate.The accuracy of fifth-generation HIV testing kits, such as those available from Prescription Doctor, is even more so. These tests indicate whether p24 pathogens and antibodies, associated with the body's reaction to an HIV infection, are present, and can detect HIV faster and more accurately than fourth-generation tests. Fifth-generation HIV testing kits are 99.8% accurate at detecting HIV at least 6 weeks after exposure.The accuracy of at-home HIV test kits is not affected by environmental factors, so you should not need to fast or worry about false positives or negatives, as long as you perform the test correctly. However, it is essential that any at-home testing kit you purchase bears the quality assurance mark “CE”. This means it is licensed for sale in the UK, as tests from abroad may not be as accurate due to the poor quality.HIV TreatmentReceiving a positive result from any HIV test can be extremely distressing and upsetting. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for HIV, although many people who have HIV go on to live happy, fulfilling lives thanks to advances in medicine.If your test shows a positive result, it is important that you contact your local doctor as soon as possible, letting them know that you have tested positive with an at-home HIV testing kit. Your local GP will then be able to provide you with medicine and regular blood tests to monitor the progress of the virus.The medicine you will receive from your doctor comes from a wide variety of pills, which are referred to as antiretroviral medications. These work by stopping the virus from replicating in your body. Doing this gives your body the space and time it needs to rebuild your immune system, without new cells becoming infected by the virus.The type of medicine you are given in this group can vary depending on the rate at which the virus has spread, how your body responds, and how the virus responds to medication. For some, only a single pill is required each day - for others, you may require a combination of pills up to 4 times a day.This can also change over time, as the virus can sometimes mutate and become resistant to the medication you are currently taking. In these cases, your doctor will move on to another combination of tablets, all of which do the same job of suppressing the virus itself.It is important that you are always open and honest with your doctor about any other medications - prescribed or otherwise - that you might be taking, as these can interfere with the effectiveness of your HIV treatment.For many HIV patients, the virus will be under control, and a blood test will show an undetectable viral load within 6 months of being prescribed their first course of HIV treatment. Of course, medicinal advancements are continually occurring, and it is entirely possible that a cure could be discovered in the near future.Sources:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hiv-and-aids/diagnosis/https://www.nat.org.uk/we-inform/HIV-statistics/UK-statistics

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that can infect both men and women. It is caused by a bacterial infection called chlamydia trachomatis that is spread through unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal sex with an infected person.Through the National Chlamydia Screening Programme in 2018, more than 1.3m chlamydia tests were carried out among young people, aged between 15 and 24 years old. 134,418 people, equating to 10% of those tested, were diagnosed as positive. This represents a 2% increase in diagnoses between 2018 and 2019.What is a Chlamydia Test?A chlamydia test is used to determine if you have chlamydia bacteria, known as chlamydia trachomatis, in your body. Testing for chlamydia involves:A swab test - where a small cotton bud is wiped inside the vagina and/or anus.A urine sample needs to be collected at least one or two hours after you last urinated.If you have a high chance of having chlamydia, then you may be advised to start treatment even before you get the results. This is usually the case when:You or your partner has shown any symptoms of the infection.Your partner has already been diagnosed with chlamydia, and you have had unprotected sex or sexual contact.Chlamydia tests are free at doctors' surgeries, sexual health clinics and hospitals.If you don't have the time to go to a sexual health clinic, you can buy chlamydia testing kits online.At Prescription Doctor, we offer two different types of tests that specifically look for Chlamydia.The chlamydia home testing kit can be used by both men and women. The kit contains everything you need to acquire a sample and post it to our partnered laboratory, including a prepaid envelope. Mail your sample to our lab, and your results will be made available through your Prescription Doctor account within 72 hours of the lab receiving the sample.We also offer the SELFCheck Female Chlamydia Test, which provides results in 15 minutes. With the SELFCheck Female Chlamydia Test, you don't need to send a sample off to a lab. Each SELFCheck test comes with detailed instructions on how to use the test and interpret the results.If you are considering getting tested for chlamydia, bear in mind that the test will not tell you how long you have had it for. As the infection is asymptomatic, you could have had it for months or years without realising. Furthermore, depending on how many sexual encounters you have had, it is difficult to trace the infection back to one person.How is Chlamydia Treated?Fortunately, chlamydia is easy to treat with oral antibiotics. The two most commonly prescribed antibiotics for chlamydia are:AzithromycinDoxycyclineIt can take up to one week for the antibiotics to take effect, and you will start to notice that your symptoms clear up during this time. While you are taking the antibiotics, you should avoid having sex or any sexual contact, as you could still be contagious; therefore, you could pass the infection to your partner.If any of the symptoms persist, you should consult your doctor for further guidance.When Should You Take a Chlamydia Test?It is crucial that you do not delay going for a test if you suspect you may have chlamydia. If you have had unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal sex, it is best you get yourself tested as soon as possible. Other reasons why you should think about getting tested for chlamydia include:You or your partner starts to show signs/symptoms of chlamydia.You or your partner has had unprotected sex with other people.You have had unprotected sex with a new partner.Your partner tells you they currently have an STI.You are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.You notice a condom has split during sex.What Do The Test Results Mean?The results of the chlamydia test will typically be available within 7 to 10 days. You can expect either a:Positive test result – that means you are infected with chlamydia and will need antibiotics to treat it. You will need to let your current and any recent sexual partners know so that they can also be tested for chlamydia.Negative result – that means no STI was found, and no further action is required.How Serious is Chlamydia?If chlamydia is left untreated, the infection can spread to other parts of the body and potentially cause long-term health problems. Also, the more times you get chlamydia, the more likely you are to get further health complications. In women, the complications of chlamydia include:Pelvic inflammatory disease, a complication that causes scarring of the fallopian tubes.Fertility problems.In men, the complications include:The infection spreads to the tube that carries sperm from the testicles, causing painful inflammation.Reactive arthritis.How to Prevent Getting Chlamydia?The most effective way to prevent catching chlamydia is to abstain from all sexual activities. However, this is not realistic; therefore, aim to practice safe sex and take care of your sexual health by:Use condoms consistently - during all your sexual contact, always use a condom to help reduce the risk of infection, risk of pregnancy and the spread of STIs.Limit how many sexual partners you have – if you have multiple partners, it puts you at a high risk of contracting chlamydia as well as other STIs.Get yourself tested regularly – if you are sexually active, then get tested every year or when you change sexual partners.