Analyzes for STDs in men: a list, terms of delivery, preparation

Analyzes for STDs are laboratory diagnostics that can identify the causative agent of the disease and make a correct diagnosis.

Important! Each man must necessarily pass tests to identify diseases when planning a child or casual sexual intercourse.

Many diseases can be asymptomatic, which means that there is a risk of complications and infection of the partner.

If unpleasant symptoms are present in the form of secretions from the genitals, itching, swelling of the head of the penis, burning or rashes, you should immediately pass tests.

Table of contents: When should I take tests for STDs? Prepare for STD tests? List of tests for STDs for men. When is it necessary to re-pass the

tests? In what situations is it necessary to pass tests for STD

? When these symptoms occur:

• discomfort and pain in the vulva and groin;
• discomfort during ejaculation or intercourse;
• discharge from the urethral canal;
• burning and itching along the urethra and inguinal area.

Important! In case of symptoms and certain situations, it is necessary to consult a urologist or a venereologist.

Situations in which the delivery of tests is required :

• unprotected sexual intercourse;
• active sexual life;
• sexual intercourse with a partner with an STD;
• re-examination after STD therapy, to determine the effectiveness of treatment;
• pregnancy planning period;
• before marriage.

When conducting an active sexual life, the tests must be taken twice a year, regardless of the number of partners, the use of contraception and the type of sex.

Preparation for the delivery of analyzes for STDs

The reliability of the diagnostics is significantly increased if the following rules are followed before passing the tests:

• tests are performed on an empty stomach.The interval between taking the test and eating should be at least seven hours;
• a few days before the material is withdrawn it is necessary to abandon intimacy;
• when carrying out a serological reaction, with the help of which they detect the causative agent of syphilis, it is strictly forbidden to eat fatty foods.Otherwise, the risk of a false positive result is significantly increased;
• hygienic measures to perform only the previous evening.In the morning do not recommend this;
• Before taking a smear from the urethral tract, it is necessary to abstain from urinating for two to four hours;
• not to consume a lot of liquid on the eve of the test;
• inform the doctor about the use of medications, since many of them may affect the results;
• do not use hygiene products for external use in the presence of peeling, rash or other manifestations on the genitals.From the affected area, you may need to take a scraping to obtain biological material;
• carrying out the provocation procedure significantly increases the effectiveness of detecting the infection.It consists in a short-term decrease in immunity to activate a pathogenic infection.

List of analyzes for STDs for men

When tested for STD in men, the following tests are prescribed:

1. Bacterioscopy. For sampling from the urethra, biological material is collected.The urethra in men is rather narrow, so the procedure for taking the fence is somewhat more complicated.In the urethra, the doctor introduces an elastic tube to a depth of two to three centimeters. After taking the material, the patient may experience discomfort for some time.The smear is distributed on a slide and sent to a study in the laboratory, where it is placed in a favorable environment in which the infection begins to multiply intensively.This will allow the doctor to select an effective medication.The result can be found after a couple of days, but in some cases it may take a longer time.
2. Blood test. Allows to reveal the intensity of immunity, the increase in the level of leukocytes - leukocytosis with a shift of the leukocyte formula to the left, which is indicative for a bacterial infection.The same analysis is used for the formulation of serological reactions, with the help of which either antibodies specific to the pathogen or antigens of the pathogen itself are detected.
3. PCR. Detects the causative agent of STDs.It is the most accurate method of investigation.Blood, swabs or urine are taken for analysis.The method allows you to accurately determine the presence of infection and exclude false positive results.Even with a minimal amount of DNA molecules, the pathogen can diagnose the disease.
4. Spermogram. Allows you to exclude or confirm the defeat of the male reproductive system, as well as determine the activity of spermatozoa.
5. Immunoenzyme analysis. Allows you to identify specific antibodies in response to a particular disease and count their number.The method allows to identify the pathogen and determine when the infection and the stage of the disease occurred.
6. Urinalysis. Gives information about the localization of the infection, the pathogen and the degree of damage to the genitourinary system of men.If there is an active infectious process in the urine, mucus is detected.

Important! ELISA and PCR are the most reliable and accurate methods for diagnosing STDs.

When it is necessary to re-submit the assays

Cases when it is recommended to pass the tests again :

• exclusion of false negative or false positive result;
• control after treatment of a venereal disease.

Testing the assays allows you to accurately exclude the presence of the disease, as well as determine the effectiveness of the therapy and confirm the full recovery of the patient.

Often, sexually transmitted diseases occur without any symptoms.Therefore, if you have an active sex life, take at least twice a year preventive tests for STDs.

Radevich Igor Tadeushevich, a first-degree sexologist andrologist