F.A.Q: we answer your questions

There are many STIs, the most common of which are :  HIV, Hepatitis B & C, Syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, but there are also genital herpes, papillomas virus and Trichomoniasis.

No, an STI does not always cause symptoms - it can be silent, especially at first, but remain contagious and cause complications if left untreated.

Yes, STIs can be transmitted during oral sex (fellatio, cunnilingus), even without penetration or ejaculation. Wearing a condom reduces this risk.

By using a condom every time you have sex (vaginal, anal or oral), getting tested regularly and talking to your partners about it.

If you think you have an STI, don't panic and avoid sexual intercourse. Consult a health professional as soon as possible and undergo screening to confirm or rule out infection.

If you have had high-risk sexual relations, consult a healthcare professional to find out when you should be tested. Some tests need to be carried out up to 6 weeks after risky sex in order to be reliable (e.g. HIV).

If you are positive, you should follow the prescribed treatment, avoid sexual relations until you have recovered (if applicable), and inform your partners so that they can also be tested.

You can be accompanied by your GP or a specialist (gynaecologist, urologist) or by associations specialising in sexual health. If you take your test at the BIONEXT laboratories, we can also help you if your result is positive.

A STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) is an infection that is transmitted mainly through unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral, anal), but also through blood or from mother to child. Some infections have no symptoms, but can lead to serious complications if left untreated. The most common are HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, herpes, papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B/C. Regular screening and condom use are the best means of prevention.

European Testing Week is an awareness-raising campaign held twice a year, in spring and autumn, to encourage STI screening. To mark the occasion, free, no-prescription, no-appointment tests are offered at a number of venues in Luxembourg.

👉 Find out how the last edition went and stay informed for the next one: Read the article

The initiative, supported by BIONEXT, aims to promote the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through information and screening.
This dedicated week facilitates access to free screening in Luxembourg, without a prescription, for the main STIs (HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea).

STIs are not necessarily symptomatic and may go unnoticed. Screening is therefore the only way to know your status vis-à-vis an STI. This allows to avoid potentially serious consequences but also to break the chains of transmission of these diseases.

No.
A blood test will screen for HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis.
A urine sample will be used to screen for gonorrhea or chlamydia.

A self-test (or Rapid Diagnostic Orientation Test = TROD) allows for the detection of HIV, Hepatitis C, or Syphilis. It is performed by taking a drop of blood from the fingertip. Mixed with a reagent, this produces a result within a few minutes.
To be interpreted correctly, TRODs must be carried out at least 12 weeks after the risk situation. Testing earlier may lead to a false negative result. TRODs help to guide diagnosis but must always be confirmed by more accurate laboratory tests.

A laboratory screening test is performed using a blood or urine sample. These are based on more reliable analytical methods than TRODs.
Samples are analyzed in a laboratory and results are usually available within the same day.
To ensure correct interpretation, serological tests (HIV, hepatitis, syphilis) must be done at least 6 weeks after a risk situation. Urine tests can be performed 5 days after exposure.

Laboratory analyses offer:

• higher reliability, with less risk of false negatives or false positives;
• earlier detection, as the test can be performed 6 weeks after a risk situation;
• medical support in case of a positive result — which is not always available with self-tests.

Screening for HIV, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis on a blood sample as well as screening for chlamydiosis (Chlamydia trachomatis) and gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) on a urine sample.

BIONEXT participates by making screening accessible in its laboratories and via its mobile units ("LABOMOBILE") throughout Luxembourg: without appointment, free of charge, without prescription. 
During the European Testing Week, blood and/or urine analysis costs are covered by BIONEXT.
Outside these periods, you must have a medical prescription for this to be covered by the National Health Fund, provided that you are affiliated with it.

The issue is:
- to offer the possibility of knowing one’s status vis-à-vis an underlying IST;
- to improve the existing offer for early management before complications appear;
- to reduce the transmission of STIs within the population.

Residents of Luxembourg as well as cross-border workers (workers or students) can access these tests in the BIONEXT laboratories.

Yes, everyone can get tested.

Yes, but we advise you to share your identity for better tracking of your results.

If the result is positive, the medical team of the BIONEXT laboratory receives the patient in consultation to initiate his/her management. This is what makes all the difference with a self-test, which is not supervised by a healthcare professional.

If the screening is anonymous, the patient comes to collect his results on site, at the Leudelange laboratory - 2-4, rue du Château d'Eau. The medical team will be at his disposal to guide him in his care if necessary.

No specific preparation is required before taking a test. Screening does not require fasting.

Yes, you can choose to perform the tests you wish. However, we advise you to carry out all the tests in order to fully benefit from this screening opportunity.

It will take less than 5 minutes to complete all the tests. You can still save time by pre-registering via MYLAB upon your arrival in the laboratory or at the LABOMOBILE.