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Yes. STDs – or at least in the case of the most common ones – do not necessarily induce immunity upon being initially infected with the condition. This essentially means that even if you get infected multiple times by the same pathogenic species and no matter how many times you have been exposed to the condition, you could still contract the STD if and when you are reinfected with the particular causative microorganism.

Herpes is a multi-faceted condition that is made even more complicated with its causative microorganism having two different variants, namely, herpes simplex virus types I and II – otherwise known as HSV-I and HSV-II, respectively.

It does vary on a case-to-case basis. Insurance policies are often particular with the instances that they would be covering with their program. Some may cover severe accidents, some may even consider “orphan disease,” and yes, some may also cover the expenses for performing STD diagnostic tests. However, considering that your insurance provider will have to verify the person's identity availing of the program, STD testing laboratories that employ a minimal collection of patient information may not accept insurance policies to prioritize privacy over affordability.

Although NAATs are well-known for their accuracy and sensitivity in detecting most STDs, it is also subject to certain inconsistencies, especially in the case of herpes infections. In Herpes, outbreaks often result in a relative increase in the patient’s viral load – leading to a timeline that usually has specific peaks at certain intervals instead of a consistent rise in viral load throughout. As such, sensitive tests such as NAATs are still unable to accurately diagnose herpes conditions, especially in cases where the patient has recently become asymptomatic and is currently between outbreaks. Other tests such as culture testing and type-specific virologic tests are often employed instead as a confirmatory diagnosis for the patient’s condition.