Karnes County has a reported chlamydia rate that runs about 51% lower than the US average. Whether you have symptoms or just want peace of mind, Karnes City, Texas offers several testing options. Some places let you walk in for same-day results, while labs and home kits let you choose your timing.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Karnes City, TX. The nearest, Atascosa Health Center, is about 0.7 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.
Listings tagged Community health center are federally funded health centers and rural clinics that treat everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay: required to bill on a sliding fee scale and provide confidential care, and in many states minors may consent to their own STI testing. A Title X tag flags centers funded for confidential family-planning services; confirm current participation when you call.
Source: CMS FQHC & Rural Health Clinic enrollment files (data.cms.gov), refreshed quarterly. Title X status reflects the latest OPA grantee list.
Atascosa Health Center, a community health center in Karnes City, folds STI care into its broader primary-care model: gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis testing on a sliding-scale fee, same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, and walk-ins welcome, with services available in Spanish.
Spanish functions as a primary operational language at Atascosa Health Center: not a supplemental accommodation but an active medium for clinical assessment, counseling, and follow-up. For STI and hepatitis care, that means every conversation about treatment, prevention, and results runs in the language the center already works in.
Atascosa Health Center tests for hepatitis A, B, and C in addition to gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV. infection screenings in a single visit. Hepatitis A and B vaccines are also on-site, so vaccination can follow screening without a separate appointment.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Live Oak Community Health Center in Three Rivers welcomes walk-ins for STI screening, no appointment needed. Federally qualified status anchors its sliding-scale fee structure, so cost adjusts to income. A single visit can cover syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing in one stop.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Community Action Corporation of South Texas in Beeville tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, and can treat bacterial infections the same visit. Appointments are required, and fees are billed to Medicaid or insurance, with a direct-pay fee schedule available.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
South Texas Family Planning and Health in Beeville covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV testing with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections: no appointment required, on a sliding scale, and HIV and hepatitis B testing at no charge.
A fee that arrives at the end of a visit can quietly undo everything a clinic just accomplished, a prescription unfilled, a follow-up skipped, a partner left untested. South Texas Family Planning and Health eliminates that outcome entirely: every service it offers, from testing through treatment, costs nothing.
A symptom described imprecisely, because the words for it don't quite exist in a second language, can mean a test not ordered or a treatment not explained in full. South Texas Family Planning and Health provides care directly in Spanish, with interpretation services available for other languages, so nothing critical gets lost between question and answer.
Walk-in STI clinics routinely test for the core four bacterial and viral infections and leave hepatitis unaddressed, meaning patients often leave with half a picture. South Texas Family Planning and Health runs hepatitis B and C tests alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, so the full exposure profile comes back in a single visit.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Texas Department of State Health Services in Beeville requires an appointment and covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV testing in one visit, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, HPV and hepatitis A and B vaccines, and sliding-scale fees accepted alongside Medicaid and Medicare.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Free tool · not a clinic
Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Conclusive after |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Gonorrhea | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Trichomoniasis | 7 days after exposure | 28 days after exposure |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10 days after exposure | 33 days after exposure |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18 days after exposure | 45 days after exposure |
| HIV (antibody) | 21 days after exposure | 84 days after exposure |
| Syphilis | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis B | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis C | 56 days after exposure | 77 days after exposure |
| Herpes (HSV) | 28 days after exposure | 112 days after exposure |
Guidance only, confirm timing with a clinician. A negative result before the conclusive date may need a repeat test.
Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.
Public / community clinic
Free HIV testing is common
Private lab (self-pay)
Never billed to insurance
At-home kit
Mailed to your door, private
Doctor / urgent care
Often $0 preventive with insurance
No centers match those filters. Clear the service-type filter or the opening-hours filters to see every center.
Every other option
Beyond the dedicated testing centers above: at-home kits by mail, hospital labs certified for STI testing, local clinicians who can order a panel during a regular visit, pharmacies for self-test kits and prescriptions, and online PrEP & treatment.
Test from home
The nearest testing center is less than a mile away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Karnes City, you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.
Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome (opens in a new tab) program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.
In-home collection
$79 & up
Best value: single tests
$49 & up
Best for simplicity & support
$89 & up
Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.
Also in the area
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Karnes County, each lab's town is shown on its card below. Many test through a doctor's order or by appointment rather than walk-in, so call ahead to confirm STD/STI testing and availability before visiting.
3349 South Hwy 181, Kenedy, TX 78119
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
707 West Main Street, Kenedy, TX 78119
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Karnes City. A CLIA certificate records only that a laboratory is federally certified — it does not confirm the site performs STD testing, nor its hours, price or access. Inclusion is not an endorsement; always call to verify.
Local clinicians
Beyond dedicated clinics, 24 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Karnes City. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 5 offer telehealth.
Eddie Lowe, MD
Family medicine · 3349 South Hwy 181, Kenedy
Joel Saldana, MD
Family medicine · 3349 South Hwy 181, Kenedy
Roberto Ramirez, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 3349S Hwy 181, Kenedy
Natalie Acevedo, MD
Family medicine · 3349 South High Way, Kenedy
Hugo Guido, MD
Family medicine · 100 Veterans Drive, Floresville
Daryl Currier, MD
Family medicine · 921 10th Street, Floresville
These are registry-listed clinicians, not dedicated STD-testing clinics. CMS records do not independently verify current licensure, testing services, availability, price, or new-patient status. Confirm each detail before booking. Source: CMS Doctors & Clinicians.
Nearby pharmacies
No pharmacy near Karnes City, TX publishes an STD-related service or holds a current CLIA testing certificate, so these are simply the closest. Contact a location directly to confirm counter hours, services, prices, and availability before visiting.
Jays City Pharmacy
0.1 mi
4.1 mi Prescription Shop
5.4 mi
5.5 mi Frontier Pharmacy of Kenedy
5.6 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Karnes City, TX.
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Karnes City, telehealth covers the rest: HIV-prevention medication (PrEP) and DoxyPEP to lower future risk, and discreet online treatment if a result comes back positive. All prescribed by licensed U.S. clinicians.
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
Pricing varies by insurance and changes often, confirm on the provider's site. These services are not a substitute for emergency care.
STD stats & rates
How reported STI rates in Karnes County, the county that includes Karnes City, compare with Texas and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~35% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#167 of 254 Texas counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 34% of the state
| Infection | Karnes County | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 239.7 36 cases ▼ 51% | 491.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 53.3 8 cases ▼ 70% | 176.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 13.3 2 cases ▼ 11% | 15 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 66.6 10 cases ▲ 152% | 26.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 159.8 24 cases ▲ 261% | 44.3 | 29.5 |
Rates per 100,000 population, 2023. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis). Population figures: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. These figures are the latest available surveillance estimates. Bars are scaled to the highest rate shown.
Reading these numbers: reported case rates only count infections that were actually tested for and diagnosed, so they track local screening effort as much as true spread: a higher rate can reflect more testing, a lower one less. Either way, most STIs cause no symptoms, so treat the figures above as context rather than a verdict, and test on the CDC's schedule regardless of how your area looks.
Between 2020 and 2023 in Karnes County, chlamydia has fallen from 333.1 to 239.7 per 100,000 (28%), gonorrhea has fallen from 149.6 to 53.3 per 100,000 (64%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 13.6 to 13.3 per 100,000 (2%).
The 2020 dip reflects reduced pandemic-era screening, not lower transmission. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis).
Community health context
Sources: CDC PLACES (ZIP), County Health Rankings, CDC/ATSDR SVI, HRSA HPSA, HRSA MUA/P, Neighborhood Atlas ADI. Lower insurance coverage, fewer routine checkups, and a thin primary-care ratio all raise the value of low-cost public clinics and at-home testing in Karnes County.
Local HIV snapshot
Karnes County HIV care continuum (2023)
Among Karnes County residents living with HIV, 74.2% are in care · 59.2% are virally suppressed. Early, routine testing is what moves these numbers: it is the entry point to PrEP, treatment, and viral suppression.
Sources: AIDSVu (Emory/Gilead) · CDC AHEAD · CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county care continuum). The CDC recommends everyone aged 13–64 test for HIV at least once: every lab and clinic listed above offers HIV testing, and free rapid HIV testing is available at a local health department.
Congenital syphilis, passed from parent to baby in pregnancy, is the fastest-rising STI in the country. U.S. cases climbed from 2,163 in 2020 to 3,882 in 2023. It is almost entirely preventable: the CDC recommends a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit, and every clinic and lab listed for Karnes County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
The Karnes County Courthouse anchors the center of town the way household stability anchors daily life here: most residents own their homes, and the average household runs nearly four people deep. That kind of extended-family structure shapes how health decisions get made: they're often weighed collectively, around shared schedules and shared finances, rather than as quick solo choices. With nearly two in five adults outside the labor force and a meaningful share of households managing on modest budgets, a clinic visit competes with real constraints: time borrowed from caregiving, a drive down US 181 or South Badger Drive to reach options that aren't necessarily around the corner.
For people in their late teens and twenties, the years when STI exposure peaks and relationships are still sorting themselves out, that logistical weight can mean months pass between the thought of getting tested and actually doing it. Options with extended hours or sliding-scale fees ease that calculation considerably for renters stretching a modest monthly budget. Karnes County's STI figures carry real local meaning: knowing where the county stands makes staying current a personal data point, not an abstract public-health reminder.
Getting there
At 6.67/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Karnes City generally mean driving: plan on a car or rideshare to reach a clinic, and check each listing's hours and phone before you go.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 78118 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 78118 area around Karnes City: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Karnes City alone.
Karnes City sits in Karnes County, ZIP 78118. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Karnes City? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
Reference
Everything to know before you test in Karnes County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Texas law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.
Based on current CDC screening recommendations.
| Group | Tests | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone aged 13–64 | HIV | At least once |
| Sexually active women under 25 | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Women 25+ with new or multiple partners | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Pregnant people | HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B & C, chlamydia | Early in pregnancy |
| Gay & bisexual men (MSM) | Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV | Every 3–6 months |
| Anyone who shares injection equipment | HIV, hepatitis B & C | At least yearly |
| All adults at least once | Hepatitis C | At least once |
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Karnes City-area provider.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Gonorrhea | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Trichomoniasis | 1–4 weeks | Urine or swab |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10–33 days | Blood |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18–45 days | Blood |
| HIV (antibody) | 3–12 weeks | Blood / oral |
| Syphilis | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis B | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis C | 8–11 weeks | Blood |
| Herpes (HSV) | 4–16 weeks (antibody); swab a sore | Blood / swab |
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Karnes City often test free or on a sliding scale; private labs and at-home kits bundle several tests into one fee. Use this as a per-test benchmark before you pay out of pocket, or see the full guide to STD test costs for insurance, free, and at-home options.
| Test | Reference price | CPT / HCPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87491 |
| Gonorrhea (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87591 |
| Trichomoniasis (NAAT) | $47.76 | 87661 |
| HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody | $26.87 | 87389 |
| HIV-1/2 antibody | $22.44 | 86703 |
| Syphilis (RPR/VDRL) | $5.61 | 86592 |
| Syphilis (treponemal antibody) | $17.49 | 86780 |
| Herpes (HSV NAAT) | $47.76 | 87529 |
| Hepatitis B surface antigen | $15.33 | 87340 |
| Hepatitis C antibody | $29.16 | 86803 |
Source: Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, CMS, 2025 rates (data.cms.gov). Reference rate for the lab assay only: a clinic visit, sample collection, or a bundled multi-test panel may cost more. Medicaid and most insurers cover STD screening at no out-of-pocket cost.
Two things that actually depend on Texas law: who can consent, and whether partners can be treated without their own visit. Everything else about testing privately is the same nationwide (see below).
In Texas, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Texas permits Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT): if you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, your provider can give you medication (or a prescription) to pass to your partner, no separate exam or appointment needed for them.
Keeping a test private works the same in every state. Whether an STD test shows on insurance (the EOB), how to test anonymously, and self-pay options that leave no insurance trail don’t change by location.
Learn more about confidential STD testing in TexasSource: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.
Good to Know
Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.
Possibly, Floresville, TX is close; compare it by distance against Atascosa Health Center.
Most plans cover STD screening; a clinic or lab can bill insurance, or you can pay a flat self-pay price.
Yes, community and public clinics test the uninsured, with sliding-scale fees.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 240 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below the Texas average.
In Texas, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Yes, at-home kits ship to 78118; you collect a sample, mail it back, and get results in about 2–5 days.
HPV is checked through cervical screening (often with a Pap test); there's no routine HPV test for men.
No HIV found; just confirm with a retest if you tested soon after a possible exposure.
That's a myth; STIs need sexual contact to spread, not surfaces.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.