Dr Anthony graduated with the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Queensland, Australia and achieved a distinction in the exit exam. He also obtained a Bachelor of Medical Science degree with honours and was involved in cancer research, in the area of therapeutic gene modulation and enhancing chemotherapy delivery, with multiple publications in high impact international journals. He also loves contributing to medical education and has given tutorials at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University.
His current area of focus is in family medicine with special interest in men’s health, sexually transmitted diseases, and travel medicine. Along with is excellent interpersonal skills, Dr Anthony strives to provide a holistic primary care that benefits his patients.
Dr Anthony answered readers' questions on:
- Who do you go to for such screenings
- How often should you go for tests
- Why is sexual health check up important
- What should you be testing for
- Cost of screenings in Singapore
How soon do STI symptoms appear?
Yes, it is true that in a lot of instances, STI may not show any sign or symptom.
For example the most common STI in Singapore is Chlamydia, and up to 80 percent of women may not show any signs and symptoms of chlamydia infection.
What should I do if I think I’ve got an STI?
If you think you’ve gotten an STI, I would recommend seeing a Sexual health doctor who is experienced in diagnosing and treating the different types of STI.
A detailed history and examination will be done. After that, we will recommend tests based on your exposure and in certain cases will provide treatment immediately based on what we think is the cause.
How often should I be tested for STIs, and which ones?
STI tests are most accurate at the appropriate window periods. However, I do have patients who are very sexually active and come in for regular STI screening. There are no guidelines for frequency of testing in such situations, but most clinicians recommend at least….
How are routine STI tests done in Singapore?
After a detailed history, the sexual health doctor will examine the area of concern based on any sign or symptoms that you have.
Based on your sexual history, the doctor will also decide on which tests are suitable based on the window periods.
For gonorrhoea and chlamydia, a urine collection or swab of the area of concern (Pharynx, Anal, Urethral, Vagina) will be obtained.
What are the vaccines available in Singapore that can help prevent STIs?
The only vaccine available in Singapore to help prevent a form of STI is the Cervical cancer vaccine. It protects you from certain strains of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which can be transmitted sexually. Most HPV strains do not cause any symptoms and go away on their own.
However, there are certain strains that cause cervical cancer in women. Besides that, certain strains can also cause less common cancers in both men and women such as cancer of ….
How do I get my partner to go for a sexual health screening?
I feel every couple should have this conversation before engaging in sexual activity for the first time. STI are more common than what is reported and a lot of them may not show any symptoms.
The last thing you want is to transmit a disease to your partner. Talking about STI in this decade has become less of a taboo compared to the past and more people are getting tested these days.
Are results on self-test kits accurate?
Only a few suppliers are registered in Singapore to distribute test kits and they are only allowed to supply to medical clinics. This is based on the approval of Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and Ministry of Health (MOH).
Who are the people who are most at risk for STI/HIV?
Below are high risk behaviours that would put you at a higher risk of getting STI and HIV:
- Unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse
- Unprotected oral intercourse.
- Engaging in sexual activity from a young age.
- Sexually active with multiple partners
- ……
Does douching lead to infection and infertility?
Douching can disrupt the pH and balance of bacteria in the vagina. This leads to a change in the composition of the bacteria that is usually found within the vagina.
This in turn, could increase the risk of vaginal infections such as yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis. Besides that, it can also cause the spread of h….
Do I still need to go for HIV screening if my STD screening test is non-reactive?
HIV and STD screening should be tailored to the type of sexual activity. If you had a high-risk exposure, HIV screening is still recommended even though the STD screening was negative.
The chances of a person getting HIV via oral sex with a HIV positive partner is extremely low. The type of oral sex that may be the riskiest is mouth-to-penis oral sex, but …..
Can HIV tests be considered conclusive if they show negative results?
Yes. If the HIV tests are done at the appropriate window periods a negative test can be considered conclusive. In your case, a negative 4th gen test at 1 month and a negative 3rd gen test at 3 months are conclusive.
Which STD tests should I take after non-protected intercourse?
If you had non-protected intercourse, especially with a high-risk partner, your risk of being infected by STD is high.
You are at risk of all the STDs and HIV.
I would suggest a complete STD screening……
When is the best time to go for a HIV screening after sexual contact?
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a form of retrovirus that causes HIV infection. Over time it leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
AIDS is a condition where due to progressive failure of the immune system, allows life-threatening infections which don’t usually bother a healthy person and cancers to thrive in the body….
Are the results of an STD test revealed to anyone?
All results are kept private & confidential between a patient and doctor. It will not be shared with anyone without the patient’s permission.
However, a positive HIV test needs to be notified to MOH under the Infectious Diseases Act.
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