Scott County reports 48 syphilis cases per 100,000 residents. If you are in Kelso, Missouri, and wondering about your STI testing options whether you need testing after a possible exposure or as part of routine care, know that some clinics take walk-ins for same-day testing, while labs and at-home kits let you plan around your own time. Check Kelso's options below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Kelso, MO. The nearest, Saint Francis Healthcare, is about 1.8 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.
Saint Francis Healthcare in Scott City runs appointments for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB. Bacterial infections treated the same visit. Fees are charged on a sliding scale, with insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare all accepted.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Mar 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
A safety-net rural health clinic about 6 miles from Kelso. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Mercy in Cape Girardeau runs STI care by appointment, so scheduled visits move efficiently through gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, herpes, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and TB testing. With same-visit treatment for bacterial infections and sliding-scale fees based on ability to pay.
Mercy's standing test menu extends to herpes and both hepatitis B and C, coverage worth seeking out for anyone without a regular primary care provider or paying out of pocket who needs a single visit to answer multiple questions at once.
Mercy prescribes both PrEP and PEP on-site, meaning ongoing HIV prevention is handled by the same clinical team rather than split across separate providers: keeping medication management, monitoring labs, and follow-up visits consolidated.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Dec 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
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 about 2 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Kelso, 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 range: couples & full panels
$79 & up
Best value: single tests
$49 & 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 Scott 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.
1012 North Main Street, Sikeston, MO 63801
CMS-certified lab
6724 State Highway 77, Benton, MO 63736
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
1008 North Main Street, Sikeston, MO 63801
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Kelso. 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, 120 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Kelso. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 16 offer telehealth.
Trevin Mayabb, MD
Family medicine · 100 East Outer Road, Scott City
Timothy Mcpherson, DO Telehealth
Family medicine · 2102 Main Street, Scott City
Jehan Murugaser, MD
Family medicine · 817 South Mount Auburn Road, Cape Girardeau
Sajjad Ali, MD
Internal medicine · 639 South Silver Springs Road, Cape Girardeau
Carmelita Hudson Kane, MD
Internal medicine · 465 South Mount Auburn Road, Cape Girardeau
Lori Moyers, DO Telehealth
Family medicine · 3129 Blattner Drive, Cape Girardeau
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 Kelso, MO 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.
Medicap Pharmacy
1.7 miCape Pharmacy
1.7 miKiefer Thompson Pharma
6.0 miMercy Pharmacy - S Mount Auburn
6.3 miMedicenter Pharmacy
6.8 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Kelso, MO.
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 Kelso, 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.
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
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 Scott County, the county that includes Kelso, compare with Missouri and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~34% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#9 of 115 Missouri counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 92% of the state
| Infection | Scott County | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 567.4 215 cases ▲ 14% | 498.6 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 213.8 81 cases ▲ 6% | 201.9 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 47.5 18 cases ▲ 121% | 21.5 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 47.5 18 cases ▲ 283% | 12.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 60.7 23 cases ▲ 80% | 33.8 | 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 Scott County, chlamydia has risen from 559.7 to 567.4 per 100,000 (1%), gonorrhea has fallen from 365.2 to 213.8 per 100,000 (41%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 18.4 to 47.5 per 100,000 (158%).
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 Scott County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: Missouri is one of the U.S. jurisdictions prioritized under the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative: targeted federal funding to expand local HIV testing, PrEP, and prevention.
Scott County HIV care continuum (2023)
Among Scott County residents living with HIV, 82.2% are in care · 66.7% 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 Scott County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Kelso's workforce moves through seasons tied to agriculture, manufacturing, and the trades. Rhythms that leave little margin for health gaps. A significant share of the population falls into young adulthood, a life stage when routine confidential screening for sexually transmitted infections fits naturally into preventive care. Testing in and around Kelso, listed on this page, gives residents access to that screening without disruption to work schedules or the privacy concerns that often delay it.
The area's character, where people know the rhythms of their neighbors' lives but value discretion in their own, makes confidentiality more than protocol. Clinics and providers understand that testing results and your medical history belong to you alone, with no automatic reporting to employers, family, or social circles. That separation between health care and daily life is what allows screening to happen. Whether you're managing routine health maintenance, following up on exposure, or simply getting baseline answers, the testing sites available in and around Kelso accommodate walk-ins and appointments alike.
Many operate with extended hours that fit working schedules, and several accept multiple forms of insurance or offer sliding-scale fees. Getting tested here means getting answers without the added weight of visibility or judgment.
Getting there
At 6.46/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Kelso 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 63780 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 63780 area around Kelso: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Kelso alone.
Kelso sits in Scott County, ZIP 63780. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Kelso? 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 Scott County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Missouri 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 Kelso-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 Kelso 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 Missouri 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 Missouri, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Missouri 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 MissouriSource: 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.
The closest is Saint Francis Healthcare (1.8 mi); 5 options are within 30 miles.
Medicaid generally covers STD testing.
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 567 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the Missouri average.
Yes, at-home kits ship to 63780; you collect a sample, mail it back, and get results in about 2–5 days.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
In Missouri, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
The CDC doesn't advise routine herpes testing without symptoms; if you have a sore, a swab of it is the most accurate test.
It's cured with antibiotics; treating partners together prevents reinfection.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.