Where to Get STD Vaccines – Preventing STDs – STD Testing

Last reviewed on October 1, 2019 by Nancy Carteron, MD, FACR

Types of STD Vaccines

Hepatitis A

• Hepatitis A is a serious liver disease more commonly found in developing countries.
• It is found in feces and contaminated food and water.
• It can be transmitted by anal intercourse, from baby to mother at birth, as well as by ingesting infected water and food.

Hepatitis B

• Hepatitis B is a serious liver disease.
• It is found in blood, semen, and vaginal fluids.
• It is very contagious and can be transmitted by sexual intercourse, sharing needles and from mother to baby.
• Anyone who is exposed to blood (e.g. doctors, nurses, dentists, laboratory technicians) and men who have sex with men are strongly advised to have the Hepatitis B vaccine.

HPV

• The Gardasil vaccine vaccinates against HPV types 6,11,16 and 18.
• Genital Warts are generally caused by types 6 and 11 and can affect both men and women.
• Cervical Cancer is mainly caused by types 16 and 18 which generally affects only women, although men can pass the virus on.

Where to Get STD Vaccines – STD Testing Clinics

• The CDC’s Locator Tool

The STD Vaccine Process

Hepatitis A

• You should have two doses of the vaccine.
• The first dose protects for one year, but having a second dose six to twelve months after the first dose increases your immunity up to twenty years before you need to return to the STD testing clinic or your healthcare provider for a booster.
• You do not need to have a Hepatitis A test before you have the vaccination, as the vaccine will not protect you against Hepatitis A if you already have it.

Hepatitis B

• You need three doses to be fully protected.
• The second dose is given one month after the first, and the third dose is given six months after the first dose.
• If you need protection faster than that, you can have the quick course: with the second dose given one week later and the third dose at three weeks later, but you will need to return to the STD testing clinic or your healthcare provider for a booster dose one year after this.
• You do not need to have a Hepatitis B test before you have the vaccination, as the vaccine will not protect you against Hepatitis B if you already have it.

HPV

• You need three doses of Gardasil to be fully protected.
• The second dose is given one to two months after the first dose, with the third dose six to twelve months after the first dose.You do not have to go to the same STD testing clinic or healthcare provider each time.
• You will need to have a booster dose – currently, research says this should be given once every five years.
• You do not need to have an HPV test before you have the vaccination, as the vaccine will not protect you against any HPV you may already have.

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References:

• External STD References
• STD Blogs & Forums

Did you recently get your STD vaccine? What was your experience like? Is there additional information we should be listing above? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

More On This:

• Find STD Testing Near You
• Information about STD Testing
• Hepatitis Information
• HPV Information