Which STD test is right for me after a needle stick injury?

Needle Stick injuries are usually caused when a health care worker accidentally has their skin broken by a needle or syringe which may have come from a contaminated patient or another source.  They can also be common with professionals (social care and legal staff) who work with patients in health or social care setting.

First of all, try to access PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) within 72 hours of the injury – and the sooner the better.  This can stop you from contracting HIV if you have come into contact with HIV+ blood.

With needle stick injuries, the most common concern is around blood born STIs and STDs which include HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and less frequently syphilis.

If you have had a needle stick injury, we can test for all these STIs at just ten days after any potential incident, so Better2Know would recommend our Early Detection Screen, and you can choose to include syphilis testing.

Everyone’s circumstances are different, and it is your responsibility to choose the tests that are right for you depending on your sexual activity and what you know about your partner. If you are unsure then Better2Know recommends a Full STD screen. Once is enough to catch an STD, STI or HIV.