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Question:
Hi, I am a 42 year old gay rarely involved passively (receptively) in the protected anal sex encounters. My question is, whether it is desirable for me to undergo some particular medical tests/screenings on the regular basis. I check already my HIV status regularly, I have received a vaccination against HEP-B, but I am concerned about the risk of the papilloma infection, or that one of physical deformation of my rectum. What tests should I regularly require and how often should I undergo them? Thank you very much in advance for your kind advice.
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Answer:
by Erika Evans-Weaver: (01/11/2010)
Thanks for writing in about this! Here’s the quick answer for you. Whenever you engage in protected or unprotected sex, it’s beneficial to get routine STI screenings to ensure your health. Often times people will say that as long as you are protected or engaged in sexual activities in an exclusive or monogamous relationship then there is limited need for testing. I say it’s a few minutes of inconvenience for a lifetime of freedom, so get the screenings done. They should occur annually unless there are risky behaviors occurring such as not using condoms or dental dams when having sex.
If risky behaviors are occurring then screenings should take place every 3 to 6 months. The regular screenings suggested for men who have sex with other men include:
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- HIV
- Syphilis
- Gonorrhoea (anal and throat swab)
- Chlamydia (throat and anal swab)
- HPV
It’s also beneficial to have Anal Pap Smears for detecting if other conditions exist.
Hope this helps!
Reviewed by: Kathleen Scarbo (VanKirk) MA, DHS, CYT
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