How long after potential exposure to an STI should I test?
The incubation period, which is the time it takes from exposure for an infection to develop, can vary depending on your immune system and bacteria or virus in question. For example, the incubation period for trichomoniasis is 5-28 days after exposure, whereas the incubation period for chlamydia is not clearly defined.
The window period, which is the time between exposure to when a test can accurately detect an infection, can also vary depending on the type of test that is being performed. For example, our HIV test is an antigen/antibody test, also known as a 4th generation test, which can usually detect an HIV infection 18-90 days after exposure. However, an HIV antibody test, otherwise known as a 3rd generation test, can take 23-90 days to detect an HIV infection.
If you have questions about collection timing, please contact our Customer Experience Team. Otherwise, it is recommended that you speak with your healthcare provider, especially if you are experiencing symptoms.