STIs or STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) are usually passed through sexual contact with an infected partner. They include many diseases such as HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, genital warts, hepatitis, syphilis, and others.
STDs are widespread – more than 2.5 million people in the U.S. are infected each year. Having a STI can make you more likely to get HIV.
Talk about your testing needs with your health care provider.
Get Tested
Protect yourself and get tested right away if you think you have any symptoms, or think you’ve been exposed to an STD. Many STDs don’t have any symptoms, especially in women. We offer low or no-cost testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV.
The mission of the STD Program is to reduce the number of new STD infections and prevent disease-related complications through the promotion of sexual health education, early disease identification, and timely treatment. We accomplish this through a dedicated cadre of healthcare professionals providing comprehensive care and education in the clinic, integrated with the efforts of our Surveillance Unit and early disease identification carried out by the Disease Intervention Specialists in the field.
Additionally, to increase testing capacity within our community so everyone can “know their status,” the program has funding initiatives with Tampa-Hillsborough Action Plan/Restore, the Juvenile Assessment Center, and the Ybor Youth Clinic/YES programs whereby they are able to offer free STD testing.
Surveillance and Field Investigations
The Disease Intervention Specialists are on the front lines of our disease burden reduction’s efforts. These staff seek out persons who are infected or potentially exposed to an infection with the goal of getting them tested and/or treated as quickly as possible to stop the spread of disease on a daily basis.