HIV and STI testing in the US: what the CDC recommends for couples who travel

Travelling as a couple through the American South and going to lifestyle clubs or parties means talking about sexual health as naturally as you talk about hours and dress codes. This guide summarises what the public pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said when BarSwinger read them on 7 November 2026. It is not medical advice: it helps you organise the questions to take to your doctor or a health centre.

The basics the CDC recommends

Its page on how to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) lists the measures without drama: use condoms correctly every time you have sex, get tested regularly and share results with your partner, get vaccinated against hepatitis B and HPV when recommended, reduce your number of sex partners and, to avoid risk entirely, abstain. It also mentions being in a mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and does not have an STI. In other words: people in the lifestyle are not outside the recommendations but should focus on the three pillars they do control: protection, testing and communication.

HIV testing: how often

According to the CDC, everyone aged 13 to 64 should get tested for HIV at least once. Anyone who has had more than one sexual partner since their last test, or has had sex with someone whose history they do not know, should be tested at least once a year. Sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from testing every 3 to 6 months. Before a new partner, the page recommends talking about sexual and drug-use history, disclosing HIV status and considering testing together.

Your testing options

There are three routes. The first is the HIV self-test, which you can use at home or in private and which gives a result in about 20 minutes; the CDC says free or low-cost self-tests are available through the organisations listed at gettested.cdc.gov, from pharmacies or online, or free through Together TakeMeHome. A positive self-test needs laboratory confirmation. The second is going to a provider or testing site, such as clinics, community health centres or hospitals, where rapid tests give quick results and lab tests may take several days. The third is laboratory antigen/antibody and nucleic acid (NAT) tests, done on blood drawn from a vein. On cost, tests are often covered by insurance, and if you are uninsured some sites offer free or low-cost testing.

Vaccines: hepatitis B and HPV

The CDC recommends hepatitis B vaccination for all infants, for unvaccinated children and adolescents under 19, for adults aged 19 to 59 and for adults aged 60 and over with risk factors; adults aged 60 and over without known risk factors may also be vaccinated. That page does not expressly mention people with several sexual partners, so talk to your doctor about your case. For HPV, routine vaccination is at 11 or 12, and can start at 9; people who start between 15 and 26 need three doses; at 27 to 45 it is not recommended for everyone, but some unvaccinated adults may choose it after talking with their doctor. If you travel from another country, bring your vaccination record.

Alcohol and decisions

The CDC defines binge drinking as four or more drinks on one occasion for women and five or more for men, and links it to injuries, violence and overdose when combined with other drugs. The link with sexual health is direct: with a lot of alcohol it is harder to decide, use protection and remember the limits you had agreed. Agree before going out how many drinks each of you will have.

Talking with your partner

Before a trip, discuss three things: when each of you was last tested and where you will get tested, what protection you will bring and what you will do if a night does not go as expected. Afterwards, share the results, as the CDC recommends. This is not distrust; it is mutual care.

After the trip

If you have had a risk exposure, do not wait for your next check-up: talk to a health professional as soon as possible. The CDC reminds us that many tests are covered by insurance and that free or low-cost sites exist.

What we could not confirm

We did not read pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis recommendations on those pages; they do not appear in the STI prevention page we consulted, so ask your doctor about them. Nor do we give STI incidence figures by state, because we have not verified them in an official source.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I get an HIV test? At least once between the ages of 13 and 64, and at least once a year if you have had more than one partner since your last test.

Are there self-tests? Yes: they give results in about 20 minutes and a positive one is confirmed in a laboratory.

Where do I find testing sites? At gettested.cdc.gov.

Which vaccines are recommended? Hepatitis B for adults aged 19 to 59 and HPV by age; talk to your doctor.

Sources: CDC (STI prevention, HIV testing, hepatitis B and HPV vaccination, alcohol).