Why do you need to get tested early?

So many cases of STD infections are only noticed when they have progressed and caused damage and treatment is often too late. When testing early treatment can be administered and either cure or stop the disease from progressing into non-cureable state. Some infections can not yet be cured but their progression into lethal stages can be stopped.

Late testing also results in missed opportunities for preventing STD infections. During the time between STD infection and diagnosis, infected persons can transmit STD to others when they engage in practices that put their partners at risk. STD transmission could be reduced by increasing awareness of STD status through early testing.

The advantage of a rapid test is that you do not have to return to get your test result - results are usually available in about 5 minutes. Rapid tests are single-use and do not require laboratory facilities or highly trained staff. The test kits are not home sampling. The results are immediate.