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DO NOT live in fear or uncertainty about sexually transmitted diseases!

Sexually transmitted diseases are infections that can be transmitted through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sexual contact. They may be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. These pathogens can enter the body through mucous membrane-lined areas such as the vagina, cervix, urethra, rectum, and pharynx. Sexually transmitted diseases may remain asymptomatic for a long time, but they can still be transmitted and may cause serious complications if left untreated.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Panel Test
The test can be performed using:

• First-morning urine sample
• Urethral, endocervical, vaginal, anal, or pharyngeal swab samples

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infectious diseases transmitted from person to person through unprotected sexual contact. They are common worldwide and can often be treated or controlled with early diagnosis.

The microorganisms that cause STDs enter the body through mucous membrane-lined areas such as the vagina, cervix, urethra, rectum, and pharynx. These diseases may be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites.

The most common sexually transmitted diseases include:

• Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis infection)
• Gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection)
• Syphilis (Treponema pallidum infection)
• Genital herpes (herpes simplex virus type 2 – HSV-2)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Hepatitis B virus infection
• Trichomoniasis (Trichomonas vaginalis infection)
• Chancroid (Haemophilus ducreyi infection)
• Ureaplasma urealyticum/parvum infection
• Mycoplasma genitalium/hominis infection
• Gardnerella vaginalis infection

These infections may sometimes occur together in the same person (coinfection). In particular, infections such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis may increase the risk of HIV transmission.

Significant proportion of sexually transmitted diseases may remain asymptomatic for a long time. However, the infection can still be transmitted even when no symptoms are present and may cause serious health problems if left untreated. These complications include pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, certain types of cancer, pregnancy complications, and infections in newborns.

For this reason, undergoing the necessary screening tests after high-risk sexual contact or as part of routine health checkups is very important for early diagnosis and treatment.

• Anyone who is sexually active can acquire an STD.
• Infection can occur through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
• Transmission may result from contact with the body fluids of an infected person, such as blood, saliva, semen, or vaginal secretions.
• STDs may also be transmitted from mother to baby through the placenta, before or during childbirth, after birth, or through breast milk.
• HSV-2 can also spread easily through skin-to-skin contact.

STDs are so common because people may not know how to protect themselves, seek treatment, or avoid infection, or because these precautions are not applied effectively even when they are known.

• Having multiple sexual partners or having a sexual partner who has multiple sexual partners
• A personal history of STDs, a sexual partner’s history of STDs, and the severity of the infection
• The type of sexual contact and having any STD
• Being homosexual, bisexual, or a man who has sex with men (MSM)
• Alcohol use, intravenous illicit drug use, exchanging sex for money or drugs, and having sexual contact with people who do so or with sex workers
• Not consistently using protective barriers such as condoms (Birth control pills and intrauterine devices (IUDs) prevent pregnancy but DO NOT protect against STDs.)
• Age (<25 years)
• The most effective way to prevent STDs is to abstain from sexual activity. Other preventive measures include maintaining a long-term relationship with one partner who has tested negative for STDs and using condoms during all forms of sexual contact.

• According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1 million people acquire a sexually transmitted infection every day. These infections are common worldwide.
• Each year, an estimated 376 million people acquire chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, or trichomoniasis, and 340 million of these infections occur among people aged 15–49 years.
• Each year, C. trachomatis causes 131 million new infections, N. gonorrhoeae causes 78 million, and T. pallidum causes 5.6 million. These are the most common bacterial causes of STDs.
• T. vaginalis is the most common parasitic (protozoan) cause and leads to 142 million new infections each year.
• HSV-2 is the most common viral cause of genital herpes and causes infection in more than 500 million people each year.

• Most STDs do not cause noticeable symptoms, so you may not know that you have an STD unless you get tested.
• If you have sexual contact with someone who has no symptoms, that person may also be unaware that they have an STD.
• If asymptomatic individuals are not treated, complications such as infertility and ectopic pregnancy may develop. It is also important to remember that people without symptoms can still transmit STDs.

• STDs often do not cause any symptoms. Signs and symptoms may vary depending on the pathogen causing the infection.
• The most common symptoms include itching, burning, swelling, redness, unusual foul-smelling discharge, or pain in the genital area.
• Ulcers, sores, warts, rashes, swelling, lumps, and swollen lymph nodes may occur around the genitals and mouth.
• Bleeding between menstrual periods may occur.
• Burning during urination and frequent urination may occur.
• Pain may occur during sexual intercourse.
• Fever, chills, pain, cramping, jaundice, weight loss, and diarrhea may also occur.

• The rapid and effective detection of pathogens that cause STDs using a single test is crucial for controlling this public health problem.
• When microscopic examination, culture, and serological tests are insufficient, advanced molecular microbiology tests (PCR tests) that directly detect the causative agent are used.
• For this purpose, PCR tests targeting a single pathogen may be requested, or multiplex PCR tests (Sexually Transmitted Diseases Diagnostic Panel), which can detect the genetic material of multiple microorganisms simultaneously in the same sample, may be used.
• Multiplex PCR is important as a screening test for asymptomatic or symptomatic infections and coinfections.
• Multiplex PCR detects microorganisms by amplifying their genetic material. Therefore, it is a sensitive method that can detect even small numbers of microorganisms.
• Using multiplex PCR (nanochip technology), the microorganisms that most commonly cause STDs can be detected rapidly with high sensitivity and specificity from a single clinical sample (urine, endocervical swab, vaginal swab, urethral swab, and similar samples). These include:
• Chlamydia trachomatis (serovars A–K and L1–3)
• Haemophilus ducreyi
• Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2)
• Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)
• Mycoplasma genitalium
• Mycoplasma hominis
• Neisseria gonorrhoeae
• Treponema pallidum
• Trichomonas vaginalis
• Ureaplasma (U. urealyticum/U. parvum)
• Gardnerella vaginalis
• Streptococcus agalactiae
• Microorganisms that do not grow in culture, are difficult to culture, or require special culture media, specific environmental conditions such as 5% CO₂, and additional time for growth can be easily detected using multiplex PCR. The results are not affected by antibiotic use.
• Multiplex PCR: Compared with conventional microbiological methods, such as cultures that take at least 3 days to produce results, microscopic analyses that require advanced expertise and urgent processing, and serological tests that detect antigens and antibodies, it is a reproducible and reliable method that can detect the genetic material of multiple pathogens in a single test.
• Considering the cost of performing culture, microscopy, serological testing, or separate PCR tests for each pathogen, multiplex PCR can be regarded as a cost-effective method.
• Multiplex PCR provides rapid results within a short period of time.

1. What Is the Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Panel?
The STD Panel is an advanced molecular diagnostic test that allows multiple microorganisms causing sexually transmitted infections to be tested simultaneously in a single sample. Using multiplex PCR technology, common STD pathogens can be detected with high sensitivity.

2. How Can I Schedule an Appointment for the STD Panel Test?
To schedule an appointment online, select your test and choose a suitable date and time. Those who prefer to schedule by phone can contact the nearest Synevo branch directly.

Buy Online / Schedule an Appointment (https://onlineshop.synevo.com.tr)
Our Branches (https://synevo.com.tr/tr/Istanbul-Subeleri)

3. Can sexually transmitted diseases occur without symptoms?
Yes. A significant proportion of STDs may cause no symptoms for a long time. However, even without symptoms, a person can transmit the infection to others, and serious health problems may develop if it is left untreated.

4. Which infections are included in the STD Panel?
The panel tests for 12 different microorganisms that may cause sexually transmitted diseases, including Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, HSV-1/HSV-2, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma species.

5. Why is the multiplex PCR method preferred?
Multiplex PCR is a rapid and reliable method that can detect multiple pathogens simultaneously in a single test. It can detect even small amounts of microorganisms, helping support early diagnosis.

6. Why is it important to have an STD Panel test?
Early diagnosis can help prevent transmission to others and allow treatment to begin without delay. It can also help prevent serious complications such as infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and pregnancy complications.

7. What type of sample is used for the STD Panel?
The test can be performed using a urine sample collected at home or at work. In some cases, vaginal, urethral, or endocervical swab samples may also be used.

World Health Organization (WHO) – Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sexually-transmitted-infections-(stis) 
  World Health Organization (WHO) – Global Health Sector Strategies on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections 2022–2030
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240053779
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/default.htm
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – About Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
https://www.cdc.gov/sti/about/index.html
  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) – Sexually Transmitted Infections
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/sexually-transmitted-infections
  National Health Service (NHS) – Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis/
  Mayo Clinic – Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sexually-transmitted-diseases-stds

Date Updated: 13.07.2026
Editors: Alev Dülger Dağlı
Contact: [email protected]