What To Do If… Someone I had sex with has an STI?

If a sexual partner has told you that he or she has an STI, you may be worried that you were exposed to the STI during sex. If you share drug equipment, you may also have been exposed to certain STIs. You should:

Get PEP

If you know or think there is a significant chance that your partner has HIV (and is not undetectable or their viral load is unknown), there is medication that you can take within 72 hours to reduce your chances of getting HIV.

Get Tested

You should go and get tested as soon as possible following a partner telling you they have an STI. Getting tested will help you know for sure if you do too, even if you do not have symptoms. If you do have an STI, you can get treated right away. Getting tested is the only sure way of knowing if you have an STI or not. Find out where you can get tested.

Get Treatment

If you have an STI you will be given medication to treat it. It is important to take all of the medication to make sure that the STI is treated properly. While taking the medication, it important that you and your partner(s) do not have sex until each of you finishes taking all of the medication.

Talk to someone who knows about STIs

Sometimes people will worry so much about having an STI that it interferes with their daily life. For example, you may have trouble sleeping or you can’t stop thinking about having an STI. Some people have found that it can be helpful to talk to someone who is knowledgeable about sexual health. Check out our support and services section for help near you.

Sharing Needles

If you were sharing drug equipment with the person who told you they have an STI, you are at a higher risk of contracting that STI if it is a blood-borne infection. These include HIV, Hepatitis A/B/C and Syphilis. Take a look at our safer injecting information.

Tests: what you need to know