This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Oral sex can pass some infections to the throat. Most of the time the throat shows no sign at all. These answers cover what the CDC says about oral STD symptoms, how throat testing works, and how people in Austin can get tested.

The basics

Can you get an STD in your throat?

Yes. The CDC says gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes and HPV can all be passed through oral sex and can affect the mouth or throat. This is true for people of every gender and orientation.

Which infections can show up in the throat?

Gonorrhea is the bacterial infection most often tested for in the throat, and chlamydia can be found there too, according to the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021). Syphilis can cause a sore on the lips or in the mouth. Herpes can cause mouth sores, and the CDC links HPV to some throat cancers.

How does an STD in the throat get passed on?

The CDC says it spreads through oral contact with the genitals or anus. Herpes and syphilis sores can also pass through kissing. Condoms and dental dams used for oral sex can lower the chance of passing some infections.

Can HIV pass through oral sex?

The CDC describes the chance of getting HIV from oral sex as low. HIV is not found with a throat swab. It is tested with a blood sample or a fingerstick, and Austin clinics that test for HIV are listed below.

Symptoms

What are the oral STD symptoms?

The CDC says most throat infections cause no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they can include a sore throat, redness, or sores and blisters on the lips or in the mouth. Only a test can tell a clinician what is behind them.

Does a sore throat mean it is an STD?

No. Colds, allergies and many other common illnesses cause sore throats far more often. If a sore throat lasts, or follows a new sexual exposure, it is reasonable to mention both to a clinician.

Why do throat infections so often have no symptoms?

The CDC notes that gonorrhea and chlamydia in the throat are frequently silent. A person can carry an infection and pass it on without knowing. That is why testing decisions are based on exposure, not on how the throat feels.

What do herpes or syphilis sores in the mouth look like?

The CDC describes herpes sores as blisters or ulcers that can crust over. A first syphilis sore is often firm, round and painless, so it can go unnoticed. Neither can be identified by sight alone, so a clinician needs to examine it and test.

Are the symptoms different for women?

Throat symptoms are the same for any gender. Genital symptoms can differ, and our guide to STD symptoms in women and when to test in Austin covers those.

Can HPV in the throat be noticed?

Usually not. The CDC says oral HPV infections typically cause no symptoms, and that some can lead to throat cancer years later. The CDC does not recommend a routine screening test for HPV in the mouth, and the HPV vaccine is the main prevention tool. Austin clinics such as CommUnityCare list HPV vaccines among their services.

Throat swab testing

How is a throat STD tested?

For gonorrhea and chlamydia, the CDC says a swab is rubbed across the back of the throat and sent to a lab. It takes seconds and is usually painless. Syphilis and HIV are tested with blood instead.

Who should ask about a throat swab?

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend throat screening for gonorrhea in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men who report receptive oral sex. For everyone else, clinicians decide based on the exposures a person describes. Telling the clinician about oral sex, plainly and without worry, lets them choose the right sites to test.

Is a urine test enough?

A urine or genital swab test checks only those sites. The CDC explains that an infection at one site may not show up at another, so each exposed site, such as the throat or rectum, may need its own sample. A clinician can tell you which samples fit your situation.

Can a test find herpes in the throat?

Herpes testing usually depends on having a sore to sample. Austin Public Health says it can test for genital herpes only when someone has active symptoms. Anyone with a mouth sore can ask a clinician what testing is possible.

How long after exposure should someone wait to test?

Timing varies by infection, and the CDC publishes the details for each. A clinician can say whether a test now is enough or whether a repeat test later makes sense. Waiting is not a reason to skip the visit, since the clinic can plan it with you.

What happens if a test comes back positive?

A clinician explains the result and the options. The CDC says gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis are curable with treatment a clinician prescribes. HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable or manageable. The Texas Department of State Health Services lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV as notifiable conditions that labs and clinicians report to the health department.

Getting tested in Austin

Which Austin clinics test the throat?

The clinic pages we reviewed do not say whether each site collects throat swabs, so ask when you call or book. The Austin Public Health Sexual Health Clinic at 15 Waller Street lists testing for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia at 512-972-5430. Kind Clinic, ASHwell, Vivent Health, CommUnityCare and UT Austin also offer testing, and you can find all of them on our list of Austin testing locations.

What does testing cost?

Austin Public Health says the fee for testing and treatment is $30, and it asks people to confirm hours and fees by phone because its website may be slow to update. ASHwell says its services are always free, though medication may cost something. CommUnityCare sets a sliding fee through a meeting with a financial eligibility specialist. Our Austin STD testing and cost guide has more detail.

Can I walk in?

Kind Clinic's Koenig Lane location at 101 W Koenig Lane offers walk-in testing for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV and hepatitis C, with walk-in hours that differ from its regular hours. UT Austin's University Health Services offers drop-in testing for students without symptoms. ASHwell does not accept walk-ins, so call (512) 900-3116 first.

Can a teen get tested without a parent?

Yes. Texas Family Code Sec. 32.003 lets a minor of any age consent to diagnosis and treatment of reportable infectious diseases, which covers reportable STIs and HIV. The same law says a physician may tell a parent or guardian, so a clinic cannot promise that parents will never be told.

How common are these infections in Austin?

The Texas DSHS 2022 STD Surveillance Report lists 712.6 chlamydia cases and 351.4 gonorrhea cases per 100,000 people in Travis County. Statewide, the same report lists 519.9 and 207.0. These figures count all body sites, not the throat alone.

What is doxy-PEP, and who can ask about it?

Doxy-PEP is a medicine a clinician may prescribe after sex to lower the chance of some bacterial STIs. The 2024 CDC guidance focuses on gay and bisexual men and transgender women who have had a bacterial STI in the past year. CommUnityCare lists it among its services, and Kind Clinic offers it only to people in ongoing care there.

Where else can I look for a testing site?

The CDC's GetTested locator lists testing sites by ZIP code. Whichever site you choose, mention oral sex when you check in so the clinician can decide which samples to collect.

Oral and Throat STDs: Symptoms and Testing