Low-cost STD testing available to students Wednesday

Students experiencing nagging worries about something possibly wrong — or itchy — below their belts can be provided with some needed relief this week.

The University of Southern Maine Health and Counseling Services are teaming up with the Portland Public Health Division and Planned Parenthood to provide students with low-cost screening for sexually transmitted diseases.

Part of the outreach for STD Awareness Month, the screening will be available Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the second floor of the Sullivan Gym Complex in Portland.

The screening is open to the public and will include testing and instructions for any necessary treatment. The organizers are asking for a $20 donation, but for those who can’t afford a donation, screening will be offered free of cost.

Lisa Belanger, clinical director of health and counseling at USM, said she especially encourages students to take advantage of this opportunity since learning that recent outbreaks of some of the more uncommon STDs, like syphilis and gonorrhea, are happening here in Portland.

“Getting tested will be quick and easy. We’re encouraging students to bring their partners, and do the safe thing and get tested.” she said.

Belanger said syphilis, which has been relatively uncommon in Maine, has shown up recently in two specific cases in the state among the college-age group. Syphilis is an STD that progresses into three possible stages and is hard to recognize because it shares so many symptoms with other diseases. It is usually distinguished in its first stage by a single small painless sore. During the second stage there is a range of symptoms from a rash to a fever or hair-loss. For a time most symptoms disappear in what is called the latent stage of syphilis. For people who carry this disease into the latent stage, it can result in neurological brain changes and other serious health consequences.

The disease first became a large epidemic in the 1940s until it was discovered that penicillin could be used to cure and control the disease. In the 1950s the numbers significantly dropped but then picked back up again in the 1960s. Although it is less common now, syphilis has not been eradicated.

“This makes us want to make students aware that this is still a sexually transmitted disease and still circulating in the population.” Belanger said.

Belanger said there was also an increase in cases of gonorrhea, which is another relatively uncommon STD.

“These are old school diseases but they are still out there.” said Belanger

The screening on the Wednesday will test for both of these diseases as well as the more common STDs like chlamydia or HPV.

Belanger said students can also make common-sense choices to reduce the risk of infections.

“Choices of sex come with the choices of protecting yourself as well,” said Belanger. “This means using a condom with every sexual encounter, especially in a non-monogamous relationship.”