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Pap screening is performed to examine the cellular structure of the cervical tissues, identifying whether there are specific changes that may be either malignant or benign growths within the area. Sexually active women with HPV infections are prone to cervical cancer due to the tendency of HPV to cause mutations and develop malignant changes in the area. Testing routinely for such will help physicians to identify any suspicious growths before it even develops into a malignant condition that could be more debilitating for the patient in the long run.

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.

Yes. Certain companies offer at-home testing kits wherein you are the one that will collect the specimens necessary for the test at the comfort of your own home. Sure, it might sometimes be subject to errors due to the potential contamination of the sample from collection to transportation, but it does offer a great deal of privacy and convenience for patients who would prefer to have their identities hidden in fear that their community will judge them.

Not necessarily. Unlike in oral sex where the oral cavity is in contact with the genitalia – one being a potential carrier of specific pathogens that cause an STD due to the prevalence of most STDs in that region – kissing does not necessarily involve the exchange of infective bodily fluids or any contact with any areas that could essentially transmit the causative microorganism for a particular STD. Oral Herpes, however, may be a rare exception to this, but the rates are slim nonetheless.