Which STI screens include trichomoniasis?
It depends on the package or panel you book, not on the word "standard". Trichomoniasis is added at Gold level, alongside hepatitis B and hepatitis C, and carried through to Platinum, which also adds HPV. Below that, our Bronze package covers chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV and syphilis, and Silver adds Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma, Gardnerella and herpes I & II. You can compare every tier on our STI screening packages page.
On the standard packages, blood results come back in about 24 hours, and urine and swab results within 3 working days. The FAST Screens return all results in 6 hours: FAST Screen Simple covers HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea, and FAST Screen Complex adds hepatitis B and C. Our guide to same-day results explains how they work.
Why is trichomoniasis only in the higher tiers?
The Bronze, Silver and FAST packages are built around the infections most frequently screened for. Each extra test adds cost, and some need a different sample. Trichomoniasis is common and easy to miss on a basic panel, so it's worth checking what your own screen covered. Perhaps you've had a Bronze, Silver or FAST screen and now have symptoms, or your partner has been diagnosed. The standalone trichomoniasis test fills that gap without repeating tests you've already had.
What if I'm a man with urethritis symptoms?
Men with urethritis symptoms, such as discharge or pain passing urine, may be offered our NGU & NSU test. It's a urine panel that checks for chlamydia, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma and trichomonas from one sample. It's a different panel from the four-infection Bronze package, so if trichomoniasis is your concern, confirm which one you're booking.
Should women book the Gold package or the standalone test?
It depends on whether you want trichomoniasis checked on its own or as part of a fuller screen. If you only want trichomoniasis ruled in or out, the standalone test is the quicker option. If you haven't had a recent broader screen, or you'd like everything in one visit, our screening packages for women at Gold level cover trichomoniasis alongside chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV and syphilis. Gold also includes Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma, Gardnerella, herpes, and hepatitis B and C.
What happens if trichomoniasis is missed?
Trichomoniasis is easily cured with antibiotics, and a missed infection rarely causes serious harm. It can, though, persist and keep passing between partners until someone tests for it specifically. In pregnancy, untreated trichomoniasis is linked with an early birth or a low birth weight, so tell your clinician if you're pregnant. Up to half of infections cause no symptoms, so a clear result on a panel that never included trichomoniasis tells you nothing about it either way.
How testing works at our Harley Street clinic
The trichomoniasis test is a swab or urine sample, and results are given confidentially. If you're unsure which of your previous tests covered trichomoniasis, our clinicians can check what a package included and advise whether it's worth adding. Our conditions page on trichomoniasis explains symptoms and treatment in more detail, and our guide to private STI testing in London covers how a confidential visit works.
Book a trichomoniasis test at 117a Harley Street: £120.63, results within 3 working days, or choose the Gold package for wider cover.
References
- Trichomoniasis, NHS
- Management of Trichomonas vaginalis, BASHH
- Sexually transmitted infections, NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries
