Gonorrhea in Wharton County runs about 52% lower than the US average. In Louise, Texas, you need STI testing whether you have symptoms or just want peace of mind. Options include communities clinics which may have lower fees, private labs which may have faster results, and at-home kits which may be more convenient.
Available testing centers
6 testing options are listed for Louise, TX. The nearest, Jackson County Hospital District, is about 7.9 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.
A public safety-net rural health clinic about 8 miles from Louise. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
A safety-net rural health clinic about 10 miles from Louise. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
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 8 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Louise, 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 for simplicity & support
$89 & up
Best range: couples & full panels
$79 & 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 Wharton 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.
3703 Fm 2765 Suite East, El Campo, TX 77437
CMS-certified lab
10141 Hwy 59 Road, Wharton, TX 77488
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
303 Sandy Corner Road, El Campo, TX 77437
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Louise. 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, 38 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Louise. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 7 offer telehealth.
Cesar Maldonado, MD
Family medicine · 204 South, Ganado
Angela Abouassi, MD
Family medicine · 3703 Fm 2765 Road, El Campo
Brooke Dorotik, MD
Family medicine · 1201 North Mechanic Street, El Campo
Miguel Sierra-Hoffman, MD
Internal medicine · 305 Sandy Corner Road, El Campo
Robert Ogdee, MD
OB-GYN · 303 Sandy Corner Road, El Campo
Asif Kabani, MD
Internal medicine · 1013 B South Wells Street, Edna
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 Louise, 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.
Brookshire Brothers
8.0 mi
10 mi 
10 mi 
10 mi Midcoast Pharmacy
10 miProfessional Pharmacy
10 miShowing the 6 closest pharmacies to Louise, 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 Louise, 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 $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or 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 Wharton County, the county that includes Louise, compare with Texas and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~44% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#99 of 254 Texas counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 61% of the state
| Infection | Wharton County | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 354.6 148 cases ▼ 28% | 491.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 86.3 36 cases ▼ 51% | 176.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 7.2 3 cases ▼ 52% | 15 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 12 5 cases ▼ 55% | 26.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 21.6 9 cases ▼ 51% | 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 Wharton County, chlamydia has fallen from 396.9 to 354.6 per 100,000 (11%), gonorrhea has fallen from 151.6 to 86.3 per 100,000 (43%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 14.4 to 7.2 per 100,000 (50%).
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 Wharton County.
Local HIV snapshot
Wharton County HIV care continuum (2023)
Wharton County recorded 23.4 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 20.2 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Wharton County residents living with HIV, 71.2% are in care · 57.5% 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 AtlasPlus · 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 Wharton County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Louise wraps tightly around the stretch of road near Louise Methodist Church, where households run large and most adults own the ground they stand on. A stability that shapes daily life here in ways both practical and invisible. That near-universal homeownership, paired with households averaging well above three people, means younger adults often share roofs with family rather than cycling through rental apartments, which changes the social texture of early adulthood in a small Wharton County community. People in their late teens and twenties are still figuring out relationships, partners, and health routines, and the sheer proportion of residents in that life stage makes accessible screening genuinely matter here, not as an abstraction but as a recurring practical need.
The workforce picture adds another layer: most working-age adults are employed and in the labor force, which means weekday mornings aren't free for many people. Cost pressure is relatively modest for homeowners, but younger renters, a small slice of the community, face the usual squeeze of limited income against fixed expenses. What makes access hardest in Louise isn't cost or stigma, it's distance. For someone without reliable transportation or a flexible schedule, that drive is the whole obstacle; clearing it is what determines whether a test actually happens.
Getting there
At 4.11/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Louise 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 77455 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 77455 area around Louise: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Louise alone.
Louise sits in Wharton County, ZIP 77455. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Louise? 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 Wharton 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 Louise-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 Louise 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.
Bay City, TX is a nearby town with options, the listing shows each one's distance so you can pick the closest.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Wharton County reported ~355 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Texas average.
Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.
In Texas, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Chlamydia is checked with a simple urine sample or a swab; lab results usually come back in a day or two.
A kit ships to your address; you collect a urine, swab, or finger-stick sample, mail it to the lab, and get results online in a few days.
Get treated, notify partners, pause sex until cleared, and follow up, the infection is manageable.
Reassuring if you tested after the window, just retest if it was early, and screen again with new partners.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.