STI Testing#

Your sample is processed at a fully accredited Canadian medical laboratory - the same labs your family doctor or a walk-in clinic would use:

• LifeLabs (Ontario and BC)
• Dynacare (Ontario)
• Alpha Labs (Ontario)
• BC hospital outpatient labs and BC LifeLabs sites (BC)
• Public Health Ontario Laboratory / BC Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory for certain blood-based tests (HIV, syphilis)

This is the gold-standard testing your provincial healthcare system uses every day. All testing uses Health Canada-approved NAAT (nucleic acid amplification) / PCR technology - the most accurate STI testing currently available.

This is different from mail-order "home test kits" sold by some online sexual-health services. Home kits have variable accuracy, depend on self-collection, can be affected by shipping conditions, and aren't part of provincial healthcare. With TeleTest you get the same lab quality your family doctor would order, just with the convenience of a virtual consultation and digital requisition.

Exception: if you request oral or anal site-specific swabs, we mail a swab kit to your home (in plain Amazon-style packaging). You self-collect the swab and drop it off at your chosen lab - the lab still processes it through accredited PCR equipment.

• No sharing with your family doctor - we don't forward your results to anyone unless you download a PDF and send it yourself. We don't even collect your family doctor's name.
• Semi-anonymous testing available - don't present your provincial health card at the lab and pay out of pocket, and your result won't be linked to your health card in the provincial database (so it won't auto-flow into your family doctor's EMR).
• One legal limit: positive results for chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B/C are required by Canadian law to be reported to the public health unit (not to your family doctor) - this applies to every clinic in Canada, not just TeleTest.

For the full picture, see Anonymous Testing & Privacy.

For chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis, our clinicians can issue treatment at the time of your consultation - before your test results come back - when you have symptoms, a known exposure, or other risk factors. This is supported by Canadian sexual health guidelines and is often the right call when waiting for results would delay needed treatment.

See the Treatment without waiting for results section below for how it works.

• Urine PCR (NAAT): chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis (routinely added for women; men can request trichomoniasis on intake).
• Blood tests: HIV and syphilis (VDRL / reverse algorithm screening through the Public Health Lab).

• Oral / anal site-specific swabs for chlamydia and gonorrhea (self-collected swab kit mailed to your home, then dropped off at the lab).
• Hepatitis B and C - added to your requisition only when you meet Canadian screening criteria (risk factors, exposure history, etc.). Discuss with the clinician in your intake.
• Herpes serology - separate dedicated panel (see Herpes Virus (HSV)).
• Mycoplasma genitalium (Mgen) - separate dedicated panel (see Mycoplasma genitalium). Mgen requires its own testing panel and is treated only after a positive result.
• Vaginal swabs for BV / yeast - separate panel (see BV and Yeast Infections).
• UTI testing when you have current urinary symptoms - separate panel (see Urinary Tract Infections).

• Syphilis treatment - we test for syphilis, but treatment requires an intramuscular injection that must be given in person. We'll direct you to a public health unit, sexual health clinic, or walk-in clinic if your result is positive.
• HIV treatment - we test for HIV but don't manage ongoing HIV treatment. A positive result will be referred to an HIV specialist.
• HIV RNA / viral load testing - this is for HIV-positive patients managing treatment, not screening, and we don't offer it.
• PAP / cervical-cancer screening - not currently offered. Visit a walk-in clinic, your family doctor, or a public health unit STI clinic.

1. Choose the STI Testing and Treatment panel on teletest.ca and pay the consultation fee.
2. Complete your health-history intake. Mention any symptoms, exposures, or testing preferences.
3. Submit your intake. A clinician reviews it and responds by secure message - almost always within a few hours. You can also opt into a real-time chat if you'd like to talk through anything live.
4. Your requisition is faxed to the lab of your choice. Visit any lab in Ontario or BC. Bring photo ID. Provide a urine sample (and bloodwork if applicable) - no swabs needed for the standard panel.
5. Results land in your patient portal automatically. You'll receive an email notification when each test releases. See the Results page for typical turnaround.

For improved detection, provide the first-catch (the first part of the urine stream) after holding your urine for 2 hours. While emerging evidence suggests the 2-hour hold isn't strictly necessary, it's still the standard recommendation labs follow.

Volume target: 20-30 mL. Lab technicians may guide you on the exact amount at the time of collection.

Since mid-2023, labs have been adding a comment to many urine STI tests noting the volume was outside the manufacturer's recommended range (20-30 mL). This often appears even when patients provided what the lab technician specified at the time.

What this means: technically, any test outside the manufacturer's range isn't strictly compliant - but the manufacturer (Aptima Hologic) hasn't published guidance on whether a few millilitres off affects the result. The test is a PCR DNA-based test and is generally very robust.

Your options:

1. Trust the result if your sample was close to the range and you don't have new symptoms or exposures.
2. Repeat the sample if you'd like extra reassurance. Provide exactly 20-30 mL the second time.

Some patients see the same comment even after a second sample with the exact volume. If that happens, contact the lab's customer service directly.

Yes for the standard STI test (urine + blood) - period blood doesn't affect urine PCR or blood-based tests.

Wait until your period ends for a vaginal swab (e.g., BV / yeast testing) - menstrual blood can affect the accuracy of swab results.

Your requisition is valid for 6 months, so you can visit the lab in two trips if needed: urine and blood first, vaginal swab after your period ends.

Yes - this is fully permitted and we encourage it whenever it's more convenient for you. Visit the lab to complete the urine sample first, then come back for the bloodwork whenever it works for you.

How it works:

1. Visit 1 - urine sample: at check-in, tell the lab technician that you'll be returning later for the bloodwork. They'll process the urine portion and leave the bloodwork portion of the requisition open.
2. Bloodwork requisition stays valid. The unused bloodwork portion of your requisition is valid for the full 6 months the requisition is good for. You can return any time during that window - same lab, or any other location of the same chain (LifeLabs, Dynacare, Alpha Labs).
3. Visit 2 - bloodwork: show up at the lab whenever you're ready. Bring photo ID and your provincial health card (if you have one and want insured tests covered). The lab will pull up the open portion of the requisition and complete the bloodwork.
4. Results land in your portal when each part releases - urine first (usually within 24-48 hours), bloodwork after your second visit.

You don't need a second requisition or a new consultation. The original requisition covers both parts; splitting them is just a matter of timing on your end.

Common reasons patients split visits: they're not fasting when they arrive (some bloodwork is best fasted), they're short on time, they want to repeat the urine sample only at a later date, or they want to wait until their HIV/syphilis window period closes before doing the bloodwork.

The clinician can issue treatment at the time of your consultation if you have any of:

• Symptoms consistent with chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis (discharge, painful urination, pelvic or testicular pain, irritation).
• A known exposure - your partner has been diagnosed, or you've had a confirmed exposure to one of these infections.
• High-risk recent contact (e.g., unprotected sex with a new partner from a higher-prevalence setting).

The clinician will review your intake and decide on a case-by-case basis whether early treatment is appropriate.

• Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis - all treated with oral antibiotics.

What we can't treat (even with exposure):

• Syphilis - treatment requires an intramuscular injection that must be given in person. Visit a public health unit, sexual health clinic, or walk-in clinic.
• HIV exposure - if you've had a high-risk HIV exposure in the past 72 hours, go to an emergency department right away for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) evaluation. PEP is time-sensitive.

• At the time of your intake: mention your symptoms or known exposure in the intake's history section. The clinician will see this during review and offer treatment if appropriate.
• During a secure message reply or real-time chat: if you've already submitted the intake and want to discuss treatment, reply in your portal or request a real-time chat.

Testing is still recommended alongside treatment whenever possible - it confirms what you have, helps guide partner notification, and rules out other infections you might also have been exposed to.

Yes - but it requires a new consultation. Once your original consultation is closed (the requisition has been issued or you've already visited the lab), the clinician can no longer issue new treatment on that closed file. To request treatment for new symptoms or a confirmed exposure that came up later:

1. Submit a new consultation through the STI Testing and Treatment panel on teletest.ca.
2. Describe your new symptoms or exposure in detail in the intake's history section.
3. A clinician will review and decide whether treatment without waiting for the original results is appropriate.

Why this matters: if you're already waiting on lab results from a previous consultation and you'd like treatment now (rather than waiting), the new consultation is the correct path. The clinician can decide whether to issue treatment based on your new symptoms or exposure, the original lab work continues processing in parallel, and you don't lose time waiting.

The same applies if you've already visited the lab and dropped off your sample but symptoms develop in the days afterward - submit a new consultation rather than waiting passively for results.

Yes - testing is recommended alongside treatment. A few reasons:

• It confirms what infection you have (helpful for partner notification).
• It screens for other STIs you may not have known about.
• For chlamydia and gonorrhea specifically, site-specific testing (oral and anal swabs) is the only way to confirm or rule out infection at those sites - urine alone doesn't detect throat or rectal infection.

Yes. A negative test in the presence of a confirmed positive partner is sometimes a false negative (urine NAAT can miss roughly 1-3% of cases) or reflects an untested site (urine doesn't test throat or rectum). When your partner is positive, treatment based on exposure is usually appropriate.

To request this: submit a new consultation via the STI Testing and Treatment panel and explicitly note in the intake that your partner tested positive and you'd like treatment based on exposure.

No - if you have symptoms, test right away. Window periods describe the earliest reliable testing time after exposure in an asymptomatic patient. When you have active symptoms (discharge, burning when urinating, pelvic / testicular pain, etc.), the testing question is different:

• Submit a consultation now. The clinician can issue treatment based on your symptoms in addition to ordering testing.
• Visit the lab right away for the urine sample and bloodwork.
• If your urine test comes back negative but symptoms continue or your initial test was within 14 days of exposure, repeat the urine test after the 14-day mark to rule out an early-window false negative.
• HIV and syphilis bloodwork results may need confirmation at the 12-week mark if the initial test was before the full window closed - even with symptoms, the antibody response takes time.

The goal with symptoms is to identify and treat any infection now, then confirm clearance or rule-out with appropriately timed retesting.

You can test right away if you want to - there's no harm in early testing, and many patients find it reassuring to start the process. The key thing to understand is that a negative result this early doesn't fully rule out infection, so you'll want to plan a repeat test once the window period closes for full confirmation.

How to think about timing:

• Test now if you want to act sooner. A positive result is actionable right away, and a negative gives you a baseline.
• Plan a repeat test after the window closes to confirm a true negative:
  • Chlamydia / gonorrhea / trichomoniasis (urine): retest at the 14-day mark.
  • HIV: retest at 4-6 weeks for high confidence, and again at 12 weeks for a definitive result.
  • Syphilis: retest at 30 days, and again at 12 weeks for full confirmation.
  • Hepatitis B/C: retest based on the window-period table above.
• Use protection in the meantime. Until your retest confirms a true negative, use condoms or abstain from unprotected sex - the early negative isn't definitive.

Practical patterns patients commonly use:

• The "one-and-done" approach: test urine right away (so you catch any chlamydia / gonorrhea / trichomoniasis early), then wait until the 6-week or 12-week mark for a single comprehensive bloodwork visit (HIV, syphilis, Hep B/C as appropriate). This avoids multiple bloodwork visits while still covering all the window periods.
• The "test-and-resume-quarterly" approach: complete the post-exposure testing as above, then resume regular quarterly STI screening afterward as part of routine sexual-health care. Most patients with active sexual lives find quarterly testing the right ongoing cadence.
• Mix and match: test urine right away for fast reassurance, do a follow-up urine at 14 days, and add the bloodwork at the 6 or 12-week mark - then resume quarterly. This is a common pattern that covers all bases without over-testing.

You can submit each TeleTest consultation independently - there's no requirement to plan the whole sequence in advance.

A few exposure-specific notes:

• If you have symptoms - test right away (see the symptomatic-patient accordion above). Treatment can also be issued without waiting for results.
• For a confirmed or suspected HIV exposure (e.g., your partner is known to be HIV-positive with a detectable viral load, sharing a needle, sexual assault, or condomless sex with someone whose HIV status is unknown but at higher risk), go to an emergency department right away if it's been less than 72 hours since the exposure - PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is time-sensitive and can prevent HIV infection if started within 72 hours. PEP is not something we can offer through virtual care.
• For chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis exposure with a confirmed partner-positive status, you can submit an STI consultation now and request treatment based on exposure without waiting for testing. See the Treatment without waiting for results section above.

• Chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis (urine): yes, reliable. A negative result at 14+ days can usually be trusted if you haven't had new exposures since.
• HIV: not yet - 14 days catches only about 30-40% of new infections. Retest at 4-6 weeks for high confidence, and at 12 weeks for a definitive result.
• Syphilis: not yet - retest at 30+ days, and again at 12 weeks if there's continued concern.
• Hepatitis B/C: not yet - follow the window timing above.

• Chlamydia / gonorrhea / trichomoniasis: very reliable.
• HIV: about 99% sensitivity at 6 weeks (44 days). Most patients will get a definitive negative here, though a 12-week confirmatory test is the formal recommendation for full certainty.
• Syphilis: reliable for most patients - some late seroconversions can occur, so a 12-week recheck is reasonable if exposure risk is high.
• Hepatitis B: reliable.
• Hepatitis C: not yet reliable - wait 6 months for a definitive negative.

Yes - 12 weeks is the standard "definitive negative" timepoint for HIV and syphilis, and well past the window for chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, and hepatitis B. The only exception is hepatitis C, which can take up to 6 months to seroconvert in some patients.

Retest after the window closes for confirmation. The early negative doesn't rule out the infection - it just means the test couldn't detect it at that timepoint.

While you wait for retesting, use condoms or abstain from unprotected sexual contact until your retest comes back negative - resuming unprotected activity on a too-early negative can transmit an infection you don't yet know about.

Go to an emergency department immediately. PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is a 28-day medication course that can prevent HIV infection if started within 72 hours of exposure - the sooner the better. Don't wait for a virtual consultation.

If your exposure is more than 72 hours ago, PEP is no longer effective. Instead, plan to test for HIV at the appropriate window timepoints (4-6 weeks and 12 weeks).

After completing PEP and ruling out HIV at the appropriate window, you may also want to consider PrEP (ongoing HIV prevention) if you continue to have exposure risk.

The window depends on what the test is looking for:

• NAAT / PCR tests (chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis) detect the DNA or RNA of the organism directly - so they turn positive as soon as enough bacteria are present (about 1-2 weeks).
• Antibody tests (HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B/C, HSV) detect your immune response to the infection - which takes weeks to develop. The window depends on how quickly your body mounts the immune response to that specific pathogen.
• HIV 4th-generation tests combine antibody + p24 antigen detection, which shortens the window because p24 antigen can be detected before antibodies develop. This is why the modern HIV window is 18-44 days rather than the 12 weeks needed for older antibody-only tests.

A test before the window closes can be falsely negative - the infection is present but the test can't detect it yet. Two practical consequences:

1. A too-early negative may falsely reassure you. Resuming unprotected sexual contact based on a too-early negative can transmit an infection you don't yet know about.
2. Retesting after the window closes is the only way to confirm a true negative. Don't skip the retest because the first test was negative.

• Chlamydia and gonorrhea - wait a minimum of 21 days after your last antibiotic dose before retesting. Trace bacterial DNA can produce a false-positive PCR result if you test too soon after treatment.
• Trichomoniasis - retest about 3 months after treatment to check for reinfection or treatment failure.
• Syphilis - follow-up bloodwork at 3, 6, and 12 months (and 24 months for late-stage). Done with the clinician overseeing your syphilis treatment, not necessarily TeleTest.

For chlamydia and gonorrhea, a 3-month re-screen for reinfection is also recommended, since untreated partners are a common source of reinfection.

A follow-up link opens in your patient portal immediately for positive bacterial STI results. The follow-up is included with your original consultation - no additional fee.

Click the link, and a clinician will:

• Confirm your result.
• Issue treatment (a prescription faxed directly to your chosen pharmacy in Ontario or BC).
• Discuss partner notification, test of cure timing, and any other questions.

For all three:

• Treatment is prescribed and the prescription is faxed directly to the pharmacy of your choice in Ontario or BC. You pay only for the medication at the pharmacy.
• Partner notification is important - partners from roughly the past 60 days should be tested and treated to prevent reinfection. See partner-notification options in the next accordion.
• Test of cure isn't routinely required after standard treatment for chlamydia or gonorrhea in most adults, but a 3-month re-screen for reinfection is recommended since untreated partners are a common source of reinfection.
• Continue to use condoms with new partners until you've completed treatment and confirmed your sexual partners have been treated.

The standard treatments above are not all safe in pregnancy. Specifically:

• Chlamydia in pregnancy: the tetracycline-class regimen is not safe in pregnancy - we switch to a single-dose macrolide-class oral antibiotic instead.
• Gonorrhea in pregnancy: the injectable cephalosporin is preferred and safe in pregnancy; the macrolide partner antibiotic is also safe.
• Trichomoniasis in pregnancy: treatment is still recommended - the nitroimidazole-class antibiotic has been used safely in pregnancy in published evidence, but your clinician will discuss timing.
• Breastfeeding: most of the above options are compatible with breastfeeding; your clinician will discuss any timing or temporary feeding adjustments needed.

Mention your pregnancy or breastfeeding status in your intake so the clinician can prescribe the right option from the start.

A clinician will message you through the portal with the result and direct you to a public health unit, sexual health clinic, or walk-in clinic for treatment - syphilis is treated with an injectable antibiotic that must be administered in person.

Most walk-in clinics in Ontario and BC are supplied with the injection free of charge through public health.

A clinician will message you through the portal with the result and connect you with an HIV specialist or infectious disease clinic for ongoing care. HIV care is specialized and TeleTest doesn't manage it directly - but with current treatment, HIV is a manageable chronic condition and most people live full, healthy lives.

For high-risk exposure within the past 72 hours, go to an emergency department right away for PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) evaluation.

If your STI test is positive, sexual partners from the relevant exposure window should be notified, tested, and treated. This stops onward transmission and prevents reinfection.

Options for notifying partners:

• Tell them yourself - direct, fastest.
• Anonymous partner-notification services can send a message to your partner(s) on your behalf, without revealing your identity. A web search for "anonymous STI partner notification" will surface current Canadian options.
• Partners can use TeleTest to get tested and treated through the appropriate panel.
• Public health units in Ontario and BC offer partner-notification assistance for some infections (especially syphilis and gonorrhea).

Note: TeleTest does not offer expedited partner therapy (treating your partner without them doing their own intake). Each patient needs their own consultation so the clinician can review their specific allergies, current medications, and any health conditions that might affect what's safe to prescribe before issuing treatment.

The reliability of a positive result depends on both the test's accuracy and your personal risk. Here's how to think about it.

The test itself is excellent. Major Canadian labs (LifeLabs, Dynacare, Alpha Labs, BC outpatient labs) use the Aptima Combo 2 NAAT (made by Hologic) for chlamydia and gonorrhea. It's the gold-standard test - it targets the bacteria's RNA directly, which makes it more sensitive than older DNA-based methods. Published data shows the test is about 98.5% specific, which means if 1,000 uninfected people are tested, about 985 will correctly come back negative and about 15 will get a false-positive flag.

But "98.5% specific" is not the same as "98.5% chance the positive is real." Whether your specific positive result is real depends on how likely you were to have the infection in the first place. This is sometimes called the Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of the test for your situation:

Why the gap? It's a math quirk of testing in low-prevalence groups. In a population where only 1% of people actually have the infection, even a 98.5%-specific test will produce roughly three false positives for every one true positive in that group - because the small fraction of false flags from the much larger uninfected group can outnumber the true positives from the small infected group.

What this means for you:

• If your positive result lines up with your situation (you had a recent unprotected exposure, you have symptoms, your partner tested positive), the result is very likely real. Treatment should be started without delay.
• If the positive is unexpected (no symptoms, no recent exposures, in a monogamous relationship you trust), it's reasonable to consider a confirmatory repeat test - usually a second sample at the lab, sometimes a different sample type (e.g., swab instead of urine) to rule out cross-contamination.

What to do:

• The follow-up link in your portal connects you with a clinician who will discuss your specific situation and whether to proceed straight to treatment or do a confirmatory test first.
• Public-health and Canadian guideline practice (CDC, Public Health Ontario, Canadian Guidelines on STIs) all support repeat testing for unexpected positive results in low-risk patients.

Bottom line: the test is highly accurate, but a positive result should always be interpreted in the context of your situation. The clinician will help you do that.

Standard urine NAAT for chlamydia and gonorrhea is highly accurate. If your test was done at least 14 days after potential exposure and you haven't had new partners since, a negative result is reliable and you don't need to retest.

A negative result is less reliable if:

• The test was done before the window period closed (less than 14 days after exposure for chlamydia/gonorrhea).
• You weren't a first-catch urine sample.
• You took antibiotics recently for another reason (can suppress bacterial levels).

For sexually active patients with new or multiple partners, routine re-screening every 3 months is a reasonable ongoing-care pattern.

Persistent symptoms despite negative testing can mean:

• The infection is at a site we didn't swab - urine doesn't detect oral or rectal infection. Consider a site-specific swab.
• A different infection - the standard panel doesn't include Mgen, herpes, BV / yeast, UTI, or other causes of similar symptoms.
• A non-infectious cause that needs an in-person examination.

Consider a separate panel for the suspected cause, or visit a walk-in clinic or your family doctor for an in-person assessment.

Negative results indicate you don't have the infections we screened for. Before deciding on unprotected sex with a partner, keep a few things in mind:

• Some infections aren't in the standard panel - herpes (HSV) and HPV aren't routinely tested for; you can transmit or acquire these regardless of negative routine results.
• Window-period timing matters - if your testing was before the window closed for HIV/syphilis, retest after the window.
• Both partners should be tested. Your partner's status matters as much as yours.

A negative result is one input into the decision, not the whole picture.

Anyone can request site-specific swab testing through TeleTest, regardless of risk group, sexual orientation, gender identity, or relationship status. TeleTest takes a judgment-free, harm-reduction approach - if you want the testing, we'll arrange it. You don't need to fit a specific risk profile to qualify.

That said, public-health guidelines specifically recommend site-specific swabs for patients who've had unprotected exposure at the relevant site and have at least one of:

• Identify as gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men (including trans women).
• Engage in sex work, or have had sexual contact with someone who does.
• Are a known contact of someone diagnosed with chlamydia or gonorrhea.
• Have signs or symptoms of rectal infection (constipation, anal discharge, urgency) after unprotected receptive anal sex.
• Have signs or symptoms of oral or pharyngeal infection (throat pain) after unprotected oral sex.

These guideline indications are the situations where site-specific swabs have the highest yield clinically - they're not gatekeeping criteria. If you've had oral or anal exposure and want peace of mind, you can request the testing.

1. Select the STI Swab Kit panel on teletest.ca. This is separate from the standard urine STI panel - if you want both, order both panels (you can complete urine and bloodwork from the standard panel while waiting for the swab kit to arrive).
2. A clinician reviews your intake and approves the swab kit if appropriate.
3. TeleTest mails the kit to your home in plain Amazon-style packaging. Typical arrival times within Ontario:
   • Ottawa-Toronto-Windsor corridor / major urban Ontario: 2-3 business days.
   • Northern Ontario: 5-7 business days.
   • PO Box addresses: 10-14 business days.
4. Self-collect the swab at home using the kit's instructions (see the Rectal and Oral Gonorrhea/Chlamydia page for step-by-step technique).
5. Drop the swab at your chosen lab in Ontario. The lab forwards it to the Public Health Laboratory for processing through accredited PCR equipment.
6. Results land in your TeleTest portal when the Public Health Lab releases them.

Alternative: if you'd rather not self-collect, take the unopened kit to any walk-in clinic in Ontario and ask the clinician to collect the swab on-site.

Mailed swab kits are currently shipped to Ontario addresses only. We're not shipping kits to BC or other provinces.

BC patients who want site-specific swab testing should follow the "BC and other-province patients" flow below.

Yes, it's possible - with a small extra step. Because we don't mail swab kits to BC, you'll need to source the right swab yourself before going to the lab.

Important: as of our last check with BC's main outpatient labs (LifeLabs BC and hospital-affiliated labs), most BC labs do not currently stock the specific PCR swab needed for rectal and pharyngeal chlamydia and gonorrhea testing. This is a real access gap. You may need to look beyond a routine lab to obtain the swab.

The flow:

1. Obtain the swab from a clinic that carries it. Sites that are more likely to have the right swab:
   • A hospital-based or community sexual-health clinic - these clinics routinely perform site-specific swab collection and stock the swabs.
   • A walk-in clinic that specializes in sexual health - call ahead and confirm they have the dual-lumen PCR transport swab (sometimes called a Roche Cobas PCR swab or Aptima Multitest swab).
   • A public health unit STI clinic - the most reliable option in BC. They routinely use these swabs, can collect the sample for you, and the service is typically free.
2. Mention this in your TeleTest intake. When you submit your STI consultation, explicitly tell the clinician that you'll be self-collecting (or having a clinician collect) a rectal / pharyngeal swab on your own.
3. The clinician adds the swab order to your requisition. This tells the lab to expect and process the swab when you drop it off (assuming the receiving lab can process the specific swab brand you obtained).
4. Take the collected swab to the lab referenced on your requisition.
5. Results land in your TeleTest portal when the lab releases them.

This is unfortunately a common access barrier in BC right now. If you can't find a clinic that stocks the swab:

• A public health unit STI clinic is usually the most reliable option - they routinely use these swabs and the service is free.
• A community sexual-health clinic (e.g., Options for Sexual Health locations in BC) - check whether they collect rectal / pharyngeal swabs.
• Wait and visit a clinic in person - sometimes a one-off in-person visit at a public-health STI clinic is the most efficient way to get site-specific screening done.

Advocate for better access. If site-specific swab access is a barrier where you live, consider contacting your local Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in BC (or MPP in Ontario) and asking them to advocate for routine stocking of rectal and pharyngeal PCR swabs at outpatient labs. Provincial labs respond to public-health priorities, and patient and community advocacy genuinely shifts what gets stocked. Site-specific swab testing is a recognized standard of care for higher-risk patients - it shouldn't require travelling to a specialty clinic.

Not currently offered through TeleTest's swab program. For chlamydia and gonorrhea, urine PCR is the standard for vaginal-tract infection - it's just as accurate as a vaginal swab and doesn't require collection at the lab.

For BV / yeast vaginal swabs, see BV and Yeast Infections.

Most sore throats are caused by viruses or strep throat, not STIs. Practical options to rule those causes out first:

• Many pharmacies now offer rapid strep tests (a quick in-pharmacy swab that gives a result in about 5-15 minutes). Pharmacists can advise on whether you need antibiotics for strep throat and, in many provinces, can prescribe a short course directly. Call your local pharmacy to confirm whether they offer the test.
• A walk-in clinic is the other standard option - they can swab for strep throat and assess for other causes (viral pharyngitis, tonsillitis, post-nasal drip, etc.).

If you're concerned about oral STI exposure specifically:

• General-purpose throat swabs at labs don't test for chlamydia or gonorrhea - those need the specialized PCR swab (TeleTest mailed kit in Ontario, or self-sourced via the BC flow above).
• If you've had a confirmed oral STI exposure and want testing or treatment based on that exposure, submit an STI consultation and mention this in your intake.

Test as frequently as you want to. TeleTest takes a judgment-free, harm-reduction approach to sexual health - you don't need to justify your request, and there's no waiting period between consultations. If you'd like to test every week, every month, or every year, we'll support that.

Standard STI screening (chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, HIV, syphilis) is always insured under provincial health plans when ordered by a clinician - regardless of how recently you tested last. Frequent re-screening is supported by Canadian sexual-health guidelines for higher-risk patients.

Some patterns patients commonly follow:

• After every new partner is a conservative pattern that gives the most reassurance.
• Every 3 months is the routine cadence recommended for sexually active patients with multiple partners.
• Annually is reasonable for patients in stable monogamous relationships who want regular sexual-health screening.

You pay TeleTest's consultation fee for each visit. The lab work itself is covered under your provincial health plan.

A PAP test is for cervical cancer screening, not for STIs. Some clinicians do add an STI swab during the PAP visit, but many don't. If you're not sure whether STI screening was included, ask the clinic that did the PAP, or simply do separate STI testing through TeleTest or a walk-in clinic.

Canadian screening guidelines don't recommend routine Hep B/C testing for everyone. The tests are added to your requisition when risk factors are present in your medical history (e.g., shared needles, country-of-origin prevalence, exposure history, certain medical conditions). Mention any risk factors in your intake and the clinician will add the tests if appropriate.

See Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C for details.

Yes. TeleTest treats positive results for chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, and herpes outbreaks regardless of whether you have a family doctor. For syphilis and HIV, we'll connect you with the appropriate in-person or specialist care.

No - you can also access STI testing for free through:

• A walk-in clinic or family doctor with a valid provincial health card.
• A public health unit STI clinic (often free, sometimes anonymous).
• A community sexual health clinic in larger cities.

TeleTest is a convenient virtual alternative - we charge for the consultation, the lab testing is processed by the same labs your family doctor would use, and you get results in your portal without needing follow-up appointments. If cost is a concern, the public-health route is free.

Without provincial coverage, you pay the lab directly:

• Urine STI screening: approximately $50-$70 per visit.
• Urine + bloodwork: approximately $100-$120.

Fees vary by lab. TeleTest's consultation fee is separate from the lab fee.

See Using TeleTest Without Provincial Coverage for the full picture including reimbursement options for visitors, students, and federal-coverage patients.

Urine results typically release first (often within 24-48 hours). Blood-based tests for HIV and syphilis are processed at the Public Health Laboratory and take a few extra days. You'll get an email notification when each result releases.

If you're well past the outer-range turnaround, see the Results page for follow-up guidance.

These are urgent situations that need in-person care, not virtual care:

• Go to an emergency department right away for evaluation. They can offer post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP for HIV, hepatitis B vaccine and immunoglobulin if appropriate, and HIV / hep B / hep C baseline testing).
• For sexual assault or a recent sexual trauma: go to a hospital-based sexual-assault / domestic-violence treatment centre. In Ontario these are called Sexual Assault / Domestic Violence Treatment Centres (SADVTCs); in BC they are typically part of a hospital emergency department or a Sexual Assault Service. Most major hospitals in both provinces have one of these programs.

PEP for HIV is time-sensitive - ideally started within 72 hours of exposure. Don't wait for a virtual consultation.

A Sexual Assault Evidence Kit (SAEK) - sometimes called a "rape kit" - is a forensic examination done at a hospital-based sexual-assault treatment centre after a recent sexual trauma. The kit is performed by trained nurses or clinicians and collects physical evidence (swabs, clothing, photographs of injuries) that can be used if you choose to involve police now or in the future.

Important things to know:

• You don't have to decide about police involvement right away. In Ontario and BC, completed SAEKs can be stored at the hospital for up to one year (longer in some jurisdictions) - giving you time to decide whether you want to report. You can have the kit done and decide later.
• The kit is most useful within 72 hours of the assault, but it can still be collected up to about 7 days afterward in many centres. The sooner, the better for evidence quality.
• Sexual-assault treatment centres also provide:
  • PEP for HIV (within 72 hours).
  • Emergency contraception if needed.
  • Hepatitis B vaccination and immunoglobulin if applicable.
  • Baseline STI testing and prophylactic antibiotics for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis.
  • Crisis counselling and follow-up support.
• Care is free and confidential. You don't need a referral - you can self-present at the emergency department of a hospital that offers the service.

How to find a centre:

• Ontario: the Ontario Network of Sexual Assault / Domestic Violence Treatment Centres has 35+ centres across the province. Most hospital emergency departments can direct you to the nearest one.
• BC: VictimLinkBC (1-800-563-0808, 24/7) can connect you with the nearest sexual-assault service.

TeleTest is not the right path for acute sexual trauma. Once you've completed in-person care, we can support follow-up STI testing at the appropriate window timepoints if helpful.