Testing

Many STIs may present with no symptoms or very mild and nonspecific symptoms before the disease conditions become serious, which make early detection difficult. Testing is the only way to confirm if you have an STI and to receive timely treatments if needed.

When should I test for STIs?

You should go test for STIs if you…

• Start to have STIs symptoms
• Are worried of being infected
• Knew that your sex partner was infected
• Have had unsafe sex

Where can I go for testing?

1. Government Social Hygiene Clinics

Holders of HK ID card can receive free STI testing and treatment services at social hygiene clinics. Please refer to the map for locations of these public clinics. Details about consultation sessions and telephone numbers of each can be found here: Female / Male.

HK map of Government Social Hygiene Clinics

2. Non-governmental Organisations

NGOs in Hong Kong, such as The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong (FPA), AIDS Concern, Community Health Organisation for Intervention, Care and Empowerment (C.H.O.I.C.E., only Chinese version available) and Hong Kong AIDS Foundation, provide testing that are mostly free, but attendees may have to meet certain eligibility criteria. These NGOs cover testing of selected STIs.

3. Local Private Laboratories / Private Clinics or Hospitals

Testing packages vary greatly in price and components.

4. Self-test / Self-sampling

Self-test kits are available for selected STIs which may be accessible online. Self-collected samples can be sent to laboratories for testing.

What kind of samples?

Sampling methods

• Blood taking
• Fingerprick
• Urine collection
• Saliva collection
• Rectal swab
• Pharyngeal swab
• Urethral swab
• Penile swab (for men) or Cervical swab (for women)

Testing methods

• Laboratory testing (for all STIs)
• Point-of-care test (for HIV, Syphilis, HCV)