Common myths about STIs in men

I realize this question might resonate more with the men on this forum, but I’ve always found myself trusting the women’s perspective a bit more when it comes to these nuances. I’m trying to wrap my head around something regarding STI testing—you know, the usual suspects like HPV, chlamydia, fungal infections, and so on. My partner mentioned that back when he had his tests done, they were performing six different swabs, yet today, looking at his referral from the doctor, there are only three specific things listed. It feels inconsistent, and frankly, I’m a bit lost. 😕

Any insight you all could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Nancy Adams12 said:I know this question might be better suited for the men on this forum, but I tend to trust the women's perspectives more. I’m wondering about testing for STIs (HPV, chlamydia, yeast infections, etc.) for male partners. How many actual swabs are taken during the process? My husband mentioned that when he was tested before, they took six different swabs, but his current referral from the doctor only lists three specific things. I'm a bit confused. 😕

Any advice would be appreciated.

There isn't really a "six swab" standard. Typically, they test for things like Aerob, anaerobes, mycoplasma, ureaplasma, and chlamydia, but those aren't necessarily separate test tubes for every single item.
Generally speaking, doctors don't perform HPV typing on men.

It sounds like everything is fine. Could you just list what is actually written on the referral?

Sandra Torres39 said:It’s not six different tests. I think they just group them into three categories: Aerobics, anaerobics, and then the mycoplasma, ureaplasma, and chlamydia stuff. They don't give you a separate tube for every single thing.
Basically, they don't even bother testing guys for HPV.

I think you're fine. Can you just write down exactly what's listed on your doctor's referral?

And why is that?🤷

The lab results indicate microbiology and bacteriology testing, specifically noting an overview and swab analysis for: chlamydia, ureaplasma, and HPV

Nancy Adams12 said:microbiology and bacteriology; underneath, it specifies an overview and swabs for chlamydia, ureaplasma, and HPV.

In that case, they’ll be screening for those three specific things. There is also testing for mycoplasma, plus swabs for aerobes and anaerobes—though you should understand that "aerobes and anaerobes" essentially covers the entire spectrum of existing bacteria, excluding the ones requiring their own specialized swabs like ureaplasma. It's worth noting that those specific outliers are often the most problematic. As for HPV, that is a virus, not a bacterium.

Alex Patel96 said:But why is that?🤷

I don't have a definitive answer, but I have noticed that men rarely bring it up. I haven't looked into the reasons behind it yet. 🤷

Sandra Martin72 said:They’ll run those three tests, but there’s also a swab for mycoplasma, plus one for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Basically, the aerobic and anaerobic swabs cover almost all existing bacteria, except for the ones that need their own specific tests—like ureaplasma, which are actually the most dangerous ones to watch out for. Also, HPV is a virus.

Mycoplasma uses the same sample as ureaplasma. What's missing here is the swab for aerobes and anaerobes.

In any case, he should just go get his swabs taken.
He can ask the lab if anything else is needed so he doesn't have to head back to the doctor to get his referral updated.

Sandra Torres39 said:The Mycoplasma testing is actually performed using the exact same sample as the Ureaplasma test! What’s missing here is the specific panel for aerobes and anaerobes.

In any case, he really ought to go get those swabs taken.
He could always ask the clinic where they perform the collection if there is anything else required, just so he doesn't have to make an extra trip back to the doctor to have his referral updated.

Hey everyone,

Could you please tell me where—or if—your partner has already gone to have all those swabs done? Did he go through a private clinic or was it covered by Medicare? And how long did he have to wait for the results? I am looking specifically in the Chicago area.
How on earth are they able to handle all of that in one single location while still being covered by Medicare?
I am asking because my partner needs to undergo these tests too, and we are currently debating the best way to go about it.

Thank you all so much!

Sandra Torres39 said:... though I have noticed that men are rarely ever directed toward it. I haven't really dug into the reasons why, though. 🤷

My partner actually went in for some swabs recently—everything came back perfectly fine for him—whereas my results were, well, let's just say they were a nightmare. We even asked about an HPV test, but the doctors just kind of shrugged their shoulders; they basically implied there’s almost no point in testing men since the results aren't reliable enough to prove anything. I suppose that might be why they don't bother sending them in for it... 🤷

Sarah Fisher6 said:Hi,

Could you tell me where your partner went for all those swabs? Did he go privately or through Medicare? Also, how long did he have to wait for the results in Chicago?
How can they handle everything in one spot using Medicare coverage?
I'm asking because my husband needs testing too, so we're trying to figure out our options.

Thanks everyone.

The primary care doctor provides a referral for all the tests, and then he can get everything done at a single infectious disease clinic. Results usually come back within a week. 👍

Sophia Wells72 said:My partner went in for his swabs and everything came back perfect. Meanwhile, my results were a total nightmare. We even asked about an HPV test, but the doctors just shrugged and told us there’s really no point for men since it's so hard to prove and the tests aren't reliable for them. Now I'm starting to think that might be why they don't offer it... 🤷

That seems likely! 🤷 Honestly, it isn't even that huge of a deal. The main thing is catching any bacteria that can actually be treated. I'm just glad his results were clean! 👍

Is there any actual way to get all these swabs done somewhere other than a "containment hospital"...? I mean, my town is pretty small and we don't even have a local clinic or anything nearby.

Nicole Carter45 said:Is there any way to get these swabs done outside of an infectious disease clinic? My town is pretty small and we don't really have any medical facilities nearby.

If there aren't any clinics around, I'm not sure where anyone would go to collect and process those samples... 🤷 Usually, hospitals handle that kind of thing.

Sandra Torres39 said:If there aren't any medical facilities nearby, I'm not entirely sure where someone would go to get swabs collected and analyzed... 🤷 Typically, hospitals handle those kinds of things.

I grew up in a small town that only had a local clinic, so I was referred to a hospital in a larger city just to have my swabs taken. I would suggest looking into it and making an appointment regardless; I decided to take matters into my own hands once, and well... let's just say things didn't go quite as planned.

Well, we have a local community clinic. They’ve got a lab on-site, but they don't handle those kinds of tests. Thanks, I'll look into it.