Discreet STI Home Test Kits

We currently offer a range of STI home test kits to test for HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B & C. When you receive your test kit, it will contain clear instructions to help you collect a sample for testing. You will need to use a swab or collect a blood or urine sample, depending on the tests you have requested.

If you are sexually active, it is good practice to get tested for STIs every time you change partners. You should ask your partner to do this too. Otherwise, it is reasonable to get checked every year, or if you develop any symptoms.

If you are a man who has unprotected sex with men, you should get tested for STIs every 3 months if you have no symptoms and any time you have symptoms.

If you are getting tested because you have had unprotected sex, and you’re checking for STIs, you should:

• Wait 2 weeks after exposure to test for Chlamydia or Gonorrhoea (if you have no symptoms).
• Wait 6-8 weeks after exposure to test for Syphilis, Hepatitis B and C (if you have no symptoms).
• Wait 4 weeks after exposure to test for HIV, with a follow-up test at 12 weeks to confirm.

However, if you have any symptoms, you should avoid all sexual contact and arrange a physical assessment for examination and testing.

To protect your privacy, we will share your STI test results with you via your secure personal Webdoctor.ie Online Patient Portal. This is completely confidential and you can review your results at a time and place that suits you. If any of your results show infection, the doctor will phone you to discuss and advise you. To view your results, simply log into your personal account using the “Login” button at the top of this page. Once you have entered your details, you will find your results and details of your previous treatments.

It takes An Post up to 3 business days to deliver your home test to our partner lab for analysis. Once the lab receives the sample, it can take up to 5 business days to process the results and send them to our doctors for review. We usually send the results to your secure patient portal the same day we receive them.

When we receive your results from our partner laboratory, one of our doctors will review them. If your test indicates that you have an STI, our doctors will advise you of the next steps and provide treatment if appropriate.

When ordering a Home Test Kit, you’ll be asked to select which STIs you would like to be tested for. You can choose from the following test kits:

• Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea
• HIV
• Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and HIV
• Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, HIV Syphilis, Hepatitis B & C

These kits are to screen for STIs if you do not have symptoms. If you have any symptoms (e.g. pain, bleeding, sores, discharge or weeping), please attend your GP or STI clinic for face-to-face consultation and physical examination.

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection (STI). In fact, it is the most common STIs in Ireland, especially among those aged 35 years or under. This infection can survive in the genitals, mouth and anus.

You can get chlamydia by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who is infected.

Chlamydia often does not have any symptoms, approx 50% of women have none and approx 35% of men also have no symptoms. This is why it is important to screen yourself regularly.

Chlamydia can cause serious health problems, especially in women. It can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, damage the fallopian tubes and lead to fertility problems. In men, it can cause infection and inflammation of the prostate and testes. Repeated Chlamydia infections are more likely to cause these effects.

Fortunately, chlamydia infection is one of the easiest STIs to treat.

Gonorrhoea is a common sexually transmitted bacterial infection. It can cause infection in the genitals, mouth and anus.

You can get gonorrhoea by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with a partner who is infected. In males, Gonorrhoea can cause infection in the testes, prostate, penis and urethra. In females, it can cause infection in the uterus/womb, fallopian tubes and vagina and if not treated, this can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease. Gonorrhoea can cause fertility problems in men and women.

If this infection is detected, we will contact you to discuss your result and arrange a follow-up at a suitable clinic. Treatment is usually with an antibiotic injection (into the buttock) and follow-up, including a full STI screen, is mandatory if gonorrhoea is identified.

HIV is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a virus called the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This virus infects the immune system cells and impairs the body’s ability to fight infections.

The development of specific antiviral treatments has transformed this from a once-fatal disease to a treatable illness. However, if this condition is not identified and treated appropriately early on, it can develop into Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Please note, this is a screening test. If the screening test is positive, this requires follow up testing to confirm any diagnosis. We will contact you to discuss this and arrange for a follow-up blood sample to check the diagnosis.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease, mainly spread by intimate contact (including vaginal, oral and anal sex). Syphilis is passed via direct contact with a syphilitic (infected) sore. Usually, sores occur in the mouth, throat, vagina, anus, rectum, or external genitalia. Sores often go undetected as they are painless and hidden.

Syphilis can cause long-term health complications, but this can be avoided with early detection and treatment. Screening is vital for early detection.

Please note, this is a screening test. If your result is positive we will contact you to discuss this and arrange for a follow-up blood sample to confirm the diagnosis.

Hepatitis B is a highly infectious disease caused by the Hepatitis B Virus, which affects the liver. Hepatitis B can cause both acute and severe illnesses. Acute infection does not normally require treatment, but in some cases, you may need antiviral medication. In more severe or chronic infections, the liver can become inflamed and stop working, causing liver failure.

In any case, it is important to know if you have this infection so appropriate advice and monitoring can be arranged.

You should note, there is a very effective vaccine available that protects against hepatitis B which you may want to consider, based on your potential risk of exposure.

Please note, this is a screening test. If your result is positive we will contact you to discuss this and arrange for a follow-up blood sample to confirm the diagnosis.

Hepatitis C infection is a highly variable and unpredictable disease of the liver which is caused by the Hepatitis C virus. The condition can vary from causing no symptoms to serious health problems, such as liver failure or primary liver cancer.

It is important to be aware if you have this infection so suitable monitoring can be provided.

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine available but a cure has been made available recently. This treatment has a cure rate of 95% and involves a course of 12 weeks of treatment. It is worth noting that this treatment is not widely available and it is very expensive.

Please note, this is a screening test. If your result is positive we will contact you to discuss this and arrange for a follow-up blood sample to confirm the diagnosis.