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2022 U.S. Mpox Outbreak

CDC is updating webpages with the term "mpox" to reduce stigma and other issues associated with prior terminology. This change is aligned with the recent World Health Organization decision.

National HIV, STD, and Hepatitis Testing

What are sexually transmitted diseases and should I be tested?

CDC estimates that there are approximately 19 million new sexually transmitted disease (STD) infections each year — almost half of them among young people 15 to 24 years of age. Most infections have no symptoms and often go undiagnosed and untreated, which may lead to severe health consequences, especially for women.Knowing your STD status is a critical step to stopping STD transmission. If you know you are infected you can take steps to protect yourself and your partners. Many STDs can be easily diagnosed and treated. If either you or your partner is infected, both of you may need to receive treatment at the same time to avoid getting re-infected.

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Did You Know?

  • Getting HIV tested can give you some important lifesaving information and can help keep you—and others—safe.

  • Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for all children starting at age 1 year, travelers to certain countries, and others at risk.

  • CDC recommends that health care providers test everyone for HIV between the ages of 13 and 64 at least once as part of routine health care. Talk to a healthcare provider about getting tested.

  • HIV is spread through unprotected sex and drug-injecting behaviors, so people who engage in these behaviors should get tested more often.

  • You can arm yourself with basic information about STDs: How are these diseases spread? How can you protect yourself? What are the treatment options? Read these STD Fact Sheets to find out.

  • People born from 1945 through 1965 are 5x more likely to have Hepatitis C. While anyone can get Hepatitis C, more than 75% of people with Hepatitis C were born during these years. That’s why CDC recommends that anyone born from 1945 through 1965 get tested for Hepatitis C.

  • Knowing you have Hepatitis C can help you make important decisions about your health. Successful treatments can eliminate the virus from the body and prevent liver damage, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer.

  • Getting tested is the only way to know your HIV status. If you are HIV-positive, you can start getting treated, which can improve your health, prolong your life, and greatly lower your chance of spreading HIV to others.

  • Getting HIV tested can give you some important lifesaving information and can help keep you—and others—safe.