If you have reason to believe that you have contracted an STI then you should get tested straight away, but different STIs do have different ‘window periods’ for testing, this is when the STI is most likely to be detected so it’s important to take these into account when getting tested. If you’re tested within the window period for any STI, especially one you think you may have been exposed to, it’s important that you come back or visit a doctor for another test after the window period has passed. You will find the information about window periods for different STIs at the bottom of our Who Can & Should Get Tested section.
IMPORTANT: If you believe you may have been exposed to HIV OR HEPATITIS B in the last 72 hours do not proceed with a normal STI test, visit a doctor, hospital or specialty clinic ASAP so you can receive preventative post-exposure treatment (PEP).