Why it is performed
- Screen after exposure, with symptoms, during pregnancy, with a new partner or as part of a sexual-health check.
- Distinguish past infection, vaccination, immunity or current infection according to the specific marker.
- Complete diagnoses that cannot be resolved by a single test.
How it is performed
Venous blood is collected. The profile is defined before sampling: there is no single universal 'complete STI test', because each infection needs its own markers and sometimes a different specimen.
Preparation
- Give the date and type of exposure, hepatitis vaccination history and previous tests or treatment.
- Blood serology does not replace chlamydia/gonorrhoea PCR or sampling of lesions when appropriate.
- Repeat testing after the detection window or confirmatory testing may be required.
How Askabide processes it
Combined pathway
Immunoassays for antigens and/or antibodies. Reactive results are interpreted by marker and referred or completed with confirmatory methods when required by the protocol.
Part is performed at Askabide and another phase or confirmation is processed externally.
Results and indicative intervals
Intervals vary by method, analyser, reagent, units, age, sex, pregnancy, menstrual-cycle phase and reference population. The valid interval is the one printed on the laboratory report.
| Parameter or result | Indicative reference | How it is interpreted |
|---|---|---|
| Non-reactive/negative | Depende del marcador | The marker is not detected, but a detection window may apply. |
| Reactive/positive | Interpretación específica | May indicate infection, past contact or immunity depending on the test; confirmation is often required. |
| Indeterminate/equivocal | Repetición/confirmación | A new sample, repeat test or different method may be needed. |
Important limitations
- Markers do not share the same detection window or meaning.
- A single result may be insufficient to distinguish active infection, past infection or vaccination.
- Interpretation requires exposure timing, symptoms, vaccination and other tests.