STI Testing & Prevention Services

What is HIV?

HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system—especially certain “helper” white blood cells (called CD4 cells) that you need to fight off infections.

• If HIV isn’t treated, it can weaken the immune system so much that the person gets very sick from infections that a healthy body would usually handle.

• The most advanced stage of untreated HIV is called AIDS.

The good news: with modern medicine (daily antiretroviral therapy, or ART), most people with HIV can live long, healthy lives. Treatment can lower the amount of virus in the body to undetectable levels, which also means it won’t be passed on through sex (U=U: Undetectable = Untransmittable)

1. How HIV spreads (common ways):

   • Unprotected sex with someone who has HIV and isn’t undetectable

   • Sharing needles/syringes

   • From mother to baby during pregnancy/birth/breastfeeding (much less likely with treatment)

2. How it does not spread:

   • Hugging, shaking hands, sharing food, coughing/sneezing

   • Toilet seats, saliva, sweat, or casual contact

Not sure if you should get tested?

If your last HIV test was negative, consider getting tested again if any of these are true:

• You’ve had anal or vaginal sex with a partner living with HIV, or a partner whose HIV status you don’t know

• You’ve had more than one sex partner

• You’re a man, trans, or nonbinary person who has sex with men

• You’ve shared needles/syringes or other injection equipment (like water, cotton, cookers)

• You’ve exchanged sex for money, drugs, housing, or other needs

• You’ve been diagnosed with or treated for an STI, hepatitis, or tuberculosis (TB)

HIV Treatment is made convenient

When compared to those first used to treat HIV, today’s treatments:

• Are more effective and easier to take.

• Are often between one and three pills per day.

• Have fewer and less severe side effects.

• Testing is Free

Rapid HIV testing is available for individuals 13 years and older. Our first-line screening test is the rapid HIV test, performed using a fingerstick blood sample. Testing is provided in a private, confidential setting, and results are typically available in under 15 minutes. You will receive pre-test and post-test counselling and a clear explanation of your results.

What is the Rapid HIV Test?

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Additional tests

Hepatitis C

Chlamydia

Gonorrhea

Hepatitis C

Syphilis

Rapid Testing benifits?

1. Rapid HIV testing gives results in about 15 minutes, often in a single visit.

2. It provides confidential counselling right away, with time to ask questions.

3. It supports same-day prevention (PrEP/condoms) if negative and fast linkage to care if reactive.

Prep

PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is medicine for people who don’t have HIV that helps prevent HIV. It’s available as daily pills or long-acting injections. When taken as prescribed, PrEP lowers the chance of getting HIV from sex by about 99%.

You may want to consider PrEP if, in the past few months, any of these apply:

• You’ve had sex with a partner living with HIV or whose HIV status you don’t know

• You’ve had multiple partners or condomless anal/vaginal sex

• You’re part of a community/network where HIV is more common

• You’ve shared needles/syringes or other injection equipment

• You’ve exchanged sex for money, drugs, housing, or other needs