Managing STI Exposure

PASS has been receiving anecdotal reports of increased incidence of gonorrhea, both within and outside of the industry. We also understand there has been some confusion about how to proceed if an exposure should occur. 

Performers who are informed of a potential STI exposure, like gonorrhea or chlamydia, on-set or off, should work quickly to protect themselves and inform others. Since it may take several days for an STI to be detectable or transmissible, immediate retesting is not always recommended, but alerting others is. Always follow the advice of your clinician.

We will be working to produce a comprehensive guide on what to do regarding an exposure or diagnosis to each STI we test for. In the meantime, please use the following guidance:

1. If you know you have been exposed to an STI you should inform your recent sex partners immediately and should stop working until you have been retested.

STIs can happen to anyone, and very rarely is someone to blame for their transmission. As a community, we should encourage the normalization of discussing potential STI exposures: telling someone that they may have been exposed allows them to take action -- it is an act of care and should be treated as such. When someone is berated or shamed for sharing a potential STI exposure it discourages them and other people in the community from disclosing in the future, making us all less safe.

2. If you have been knowingly exposed to an STI, you may be able to receive medical treatment without receiving a diagnosis yourself in some states*.

This is called expedited partner therapy (EPT), and it allows clinicians to prescribe medication to treat a potential STI infection if someone has been knowingly exposed to an STI. Access to treatment is dependent on the clinician, who will assess the exposure. In the case of gonorrhea or chlamydia, a standard antibiotic course may be prescribed. For an HIV exposure, a clinician might prescribe what is called PEP - or post-exposure prophylaxis - which if taken quickly enough after an HIV exposure can prevent transmission from occurring.

*California and Nevada have EPT, Florida does not.

3. If you have been exposed to an STI, you should either complete treatment and/or wait out the window period (the time it takes for an infection to be detectable by a test) and retest before beginning sexual activity again. 

For gonorrhea we recommend waiting at least 5 days before testing after an exposure. If you are diagnosed, you should wait at least 7 days after completing treatment and/or the resolution of your symptoms before retesting. However - you should follow your clinician’s orders in regards to sexual activity should they specify a particular time frame.

Should you have additional questions regarding the protocols for addressing a potential STI exposure, please contact info@passcertified.org 

In Community,

The PASS Team