Why and When Should One Consider Syphilis Blood Test in Arlington VA

Why and When Should One Consider Syphilis Blood Test in Arlington VA

Humans are exposed to a wide spectrum of infections that are caused by a number of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, among others. Some of these infections can be extremely unhealthy and fatal if not treated in time.

Challenges and risks of STDs

If you are thinking that these embarrassing and serious diseases are sexually transmitted infections, you have hit the bull’s eye. Commonly mentioned as STDs, these infections are transmitted through sexual contact.

STI and STD have a subtle difference as Sexually Transmitted Infection progresses to Sexually Transmitted Disease in the absence of timely testing and treatment.

The diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections is possible only by the way of pathological test, such as syphilis blood test in Arlington VA. Unlike some other routine infections that can be diagnosed by doctors just by looking at signs and symptoms, STIs pose great difficulty as the symptoms are not only confusing but could be totally absent during the initial phases.

Diagnosing a syphilis infection

The methods of testing different types of STDs vary depending upon the type of the sexually transmitted disease. Syphilis testing in the laboratory is performed by using a blood sample of the individual. If you want to get tested for all types of STIs, then samples of urine and swabs are needed along with blood.

Comprehensive testing of all sexually transmitted infections is advisable if the patient has a history of unprotected and unnatural sex. Sex with multiple partners may also expose you to a sexually transmitted disease.

Ideally, one must go for Arlington quick STD test if there is a past episode of unprotected sex. Sex workers and homosexual individuals fall under the high-risk group for the same reason.

You need to honestly discuss all information about your sex life with your physician who can determine the level of risk of an STI and draft a treatment plan or order a particular STD test including syphilis blood test in Arlington VA.

The lack of proper communication between doctors and patients is one of the prime reasons for the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

When to test

Every infection, including syphilis, requires the body to respond to the attack of pathogens. This response is nothing but the production of antibodies that are necessary to fight the infection. We call it our defense mechanism or a part of immunity.

The incubation period of a virus or bacteria is significant to understand when one should test for any particular infection. Unfortunately, this period can extend up to six months for syphilis. Ideally, a syphilis blood test in Arlington VA should be performed after at least two weeks from the suspected sexual contact with an infected person.

Habitually unsafe sex or sex with several partners increases the risk of syphilis or any other STI. The test for STI must be done at least once a year to rule out the infection. Undiagnosed STD is a social hazard as the infected person goes on spreading the disease to more and more individuals if he or she is regularly indulging in unsafe sex or sex with multiple partners.