Ask The Doctor

Dear Ask The Doctor: Where I can do venereologic/ sexual labs in Toronto?

Dear Lyub: In Canada, STD testing can be done at almost all family doctor offices and walk in clinics.  Large urban centers also have dedicated sexual health clinic and anonymous HIV testing sites.

Testing for STDs includes testing for HIV, syphilis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomonas.  Some doctors also do the pap test as part of STD testing as HPV - the virus that causes cervical cancer - is transmitted sexually.

Good testing still does not exist for genital warts, herpes and molluscum contagiusum.. These are still best diagnosed visually by an experienced physician.