No symptoms, no warning: The STI you discover too late
YOU can look healthy, feel healthy and still have a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There may be no burning, discharge or sores. Meanwhile, an infection may remain untreated, pass to a partner or cause complications that could have been prevented.
For Jamaicans waiting until something feels wrong before getting tested, recent Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) reports should be a wake-up call.
Jamaica’s warning in numbers
In October 2026, AIDS Healthcare Foundation Jamaica highlighted national data from December 2025 showing an estimated 28,000 people living with HIV. Approximately 26,500 had been diagnosed, but only 14,716, about 53 per cent of the estimated total, were documented as receiving treatment.
More than 13,000 people were therefore outside documented treatment. Some may be receiving care that is missing from national records, but the gap remains a serious concern.
This does not prove that new HIV infections are increasing. The Ministry of Health and Wellness reported a 35 per cent reduction in new infections since 2010. However, national progress cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A properly timed test can.
Feeling well does not mean you are infection-free
HIV attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can progress to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), leaving the body vulnerable to life-threatening infections and certain cancers. Early symptoms may resemble the flu or be absent altogether.
Effective treatment allows people living with HIV to lead long, healthy lives. Those who achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load on treatment do not transmit HIV through sex, known as Undetectable Equals Untransmittable, or U=U.
Other STIs can also cause lasting harm. Untreated chlamydia and gonorrhoea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in women. Some STIs threaten pregnancy and newborn health, while persistent infection with certain human papillomavirus (HPV) types can cause cervical and other cancers.
These complications are not inevitable. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can prevent many of them.
Your partner’s appearance is not a test result
You cannot determine someone’s STI status by their appearance, occupation or reputation. Both partners may feel completely well while carrying an infection. Testing should be a normal conversation within a relationship. The appropriate tests depend on your age, symptoms, pregnancy status and sexual exposure.
Several infections, one sample
An STI panel or profile checks for several infections together, often using one urine sample without a needle stick.
MDLink Diagnostic Laboratory offers STI-4, STI-9, STI-10 and STI-13 panels, with guidance on selecting an appropriate option.
Swabs may also be needed depending on exposure; vaginal swabs are generally preferred for chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing in women. Urine panels do not replace HIV testing or standard syphilis blood tests.
Dr CHE BOWEN
Testing too early can miss HIV
The “window period” is the time between acquiring HIV and when a test can detect it. A laboratory antigen/antibody test using blood from a vein can usually detect HIV 18 to 45 days after exposure. Antibody tests, including most selftests, can take 23 to 90 days. An early negative result may therefore require repeat testing.
If a possible HIV exposure occurred within the past 72 hours, seek urgent medical assessment for post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP. The sooner it starts, the better. Do not wait for symptoms.
A positive result requires action
A reactive HIV screening result requires confirmation. Once an STI is diagnosed, follow medical advice on treatment, repeat testing and when to resume sex.
Ensure your partner is notified and advised to seek testing and treatment where needed, even without symptoms. Ask your healthcare provider about confidentially contacting them on your behalf.
Confidential testing is available through public and private services in Jamaica, including free HIV testing through AHF Jamaica.
You do not have to wait for pain or a partner’s diagnosis to act. Feeling well cannot rule out an STI. Get medical advice, choose the appropriate tests and know your status before symptoms force the issue.
Dr Che Bowen is chief executive officer, MDLink Group Limited.
