Home » Experts » Q&A: How often should a celibate person get tested for HIV or STDs?

    Q&A: How often should a celibate person get tested for HIV or STDs?

    Q:How often should a celibate person get tested for HIV or STDs? I’ve been celibate for 5 1/2 years. Since 2006. My last test was 2009; negative. Is it a waste of time and money to get tested yearly if you are not active? Before I become active again we will get tested together. ~ April Freeman

    A: HIV tests in the US are pretty reliable, so if the test was negative, it very likely is negative. There is a very small chance the test could have been wrong, but again the likelihood is remote. Just for piece of mind, find a local health fair or public health clinic that offers free testing and get a free rapid test. This will alleviate your concern about the money part,and the test is quick, so not a lot of time expended either.

    If you are celibate, don’t get tatoos at tatoo parlors, and haven’t had a needle stick (e.g. from working in a hospital or clinic), you shouldn’t have to worry about HIV or STD’s. Your doctor or health clinic can perform a urine screen that tests for DNA of organisms that can cause STD’s and they can also do a culture. STD’s can sometimes not produce symptoms, especially in women.

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    The Top Healthiest Foods…EVER [PHOTOS]
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    A bunch of spinach leaves One whole and one sliced sweet potato A bowl of broccoli A banana Oranges Apricots A bowl filled with red kidney beans A piece of cooked salmon on a plate Two pieces of raw turkey breast Half of an avocado A green plastic spoon filled with brown rice Three tomatoes in water A bowl of oatmeal with three blueberries A raw steak on a white plate A glass container of yogurt sitting on a blue-green cotton napkin beside a white spoon Pieces of dark chocolate dusted with cocoa powder A bowl of fresh eggs A bowl of vegetable soup Watermelon slices Red Bell Pepper Garlic A bowl of cherries Half of a red onion sitting on a cutting board beside a knife A spoonful of carrots Almonds A green olive sitting in a glass dish of olive oil A close-up image of fresh blueberries A spoonful of peanut butter A sliced mango splashing into water A glass mug of green tea sitting on a glass saucer A pear wrapped with a yellow tape measure Pistachios A glass of water A bowl of strawberries A skillet filled with kale A container of black beans A glass of red wine against a black background Three tuna slices A piece of catfish with potatoes Green beans on a cutting board A grilled chicken breast and asparagus on a plate A bowl of blackberries Cracked walnuts Raw wheatgrass, a glass of wheatgrass juice and a pitcher of water A wooden basket of cranberries A clear dish of flax seed oil beside a pile of flax seeds Cabbage Mushroom Pomegranate seeds
    By Keith Crawford, MD