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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Sometimes. Chlamydia, genital herpes, pubic lice and external genital warts are treated by video after a test or clear diagnosis; gonorrhoea and syphilis need injections given in person, so the doctor directs the test, interprets the result and refers you for treatment.
- What they are: infections caught through sexual contact; the 4 curable bacterial and parasitic STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, trichomoniasis) cause more than 1 million new infections a day worldwide, and chlamydia is the most reported STI in Europe, mostly in people under 25.
- Test windows: chlamydia and gonorrhoea tests are reliable from 2 weeks after exposure, HIV from about 4 weeks with a confirming test at 12, syphilis by 12 weeks, herpes only from a swab of a sore; without symptoms, one screen 7 weeks after the risk covers most.
- Silent spread: about 7 in 10 women and half of men with chlamydia, half of women with gonorrhoea and most people with early HIV or herpes have no symptoms, which is why STIs are confirmed by a test and never ruled out by feeling well.
- After the result: partners from the past 3 to 6 months need testing and treatment, sex including oral sex waits until a week after both of you have finished treatment, and a repeat test about 3 months later catches reinfection, which is common.
- Emergency: STIs are never a 112 emergency; possible HIV exposure needs PEP started within 72 hours from a sexual health clinic or emergency department, and severe pelvic pain with fever or a swollen painful testicle need in-person care without delay.
Book urgent in-person care instead if you have severe lower abdominal or pelvic pain with fever, a painful, swollen testicle, or you feel very unwell with a high fever after a recent exposure. These need a physical examination the same day. For everything else, an online consultation is a good place to start, and the doctor tells you plainly what can be done online and what cannot.
Can an online doctor treat STIs?
Some, yes, and some need in-person care. STIs are confirmed by testing, not by symptoms, so the pathway is test first, then treat. Infections such as chlamydia and genital herpes can often be managed by video, while others, including syphilis and gonorrhoea, usually need injections and blood tests given in person.[1]
If your result is positive for chlamydia, you can also start with an Express Assessment for chlamydia: a short online questionnaire that a licensed doctor reviews. If the doctor needs to speak to you, the video call is included.
The doctors on Mobi Doctor are deliberately honest about that split. A trustworthy online service treats what it safely can, arranges the right test where you need one, and refers the infections that genuinely require a clinic, rather than promising a simple online cure for everything.
How an online consultation helps with STIs
- The right test, first: because symptoms overlap and many STIs are silent, the doctor helps you choose the correct test and where to get it, rather than treating blind.
- Treatment for what fits online: with a confirmed result, infections such as chlamydia can be treated by video, with a prescription sent to a local pharmacy.
- Honest referral for the rest: syphilis, gonorrhoea and some complications need in-person injections, bloods or examination, and the doctor arranges that clearly instead of glossing over it.
- Partner and retesting advice: who needs to know, when you can have sex again, and when to retest, handled in the same confidential consultation.
Which STIs can be treated online?
Whether an STI can be treated online depends on how it is treated. Oral treatments can be prescribed by video after the right test; injectable treatments and procedures cannot. This is the framework the doctors use, aligned with European guidance:[1]
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Infection | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When referral or in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia (confirmed by test) | Oral antibiotics, usually doxycycline for seven days | Usually yes, after a positive test | Pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, or a painful testicle |
| Genital herpes | Antiviral tablets for outbreaks or daily suppression | Usually yes | Severe first episode, or unable to pass urine |
| Gonorrhoea (confirmed by test) | Antibiotic, usually given as an injection | Assessment and referral for treatment in person | Treatment is given in person; complications need clinic care |
| Syphilis (suspected or confirmed) | Penicillin injection(s), given in person, after blood tests[2] | Assessment and testing direction only | Testing and treatment are done in person |
| Genital warts | Topical treatment, or clinic procedures to remove them | Partly, depending on treatment chosen | Procedures such as freezing are done in person |
Not sure which row is you? A doctor can tell you in one consultation.
See available times →STIs and related conditions in detail
Each infection has its own page with detailed treatment, testing and partner-notification advice. Start with the one that fits your situation:
- Chlamydia: the most common bacterial STI in Europe, usually silent, cured with a short antibiotic course after a positive test.[4]
- Gonorrhoea: often symptomless, treated with an antibiotic injection given in person; the online role is assessment and testing direction.
- Syphilis: diagnosed by blood test and treated with penicillin injections in person, with online assessment, testing direction and follow-up.
- Genital herpes: managed, not cured, with antiviral tablets that work best started early.[5]
- Genital warts: caused by HPV, treated with topical medicines or clinic procedures.
- HIV: testing and referral into specialist care; modern treatment is highly effective.
- Urethritis: inflammation of the urethra, often caused by chlamydia or gonorrhoea, needing testing first.
- Pubic lice: treated with insecticide lotions, with a full STI check advised alongside.
Symptoms such as unusual vaginal discharge or suspected thrush can overlap with STIs, which is one reason testing matters. Trichomoniasis, mycoplasma and hepatitis B are also sexually transmitted, and the doctor can advise on testing for these where relevant.
How soon after sex can I test for STIs?
Each STI has a "window period" before a test becomes reliable, because it takes time for the infection or the body's response to become detectable. Testing too early can give a false reassurance, so the timing below matters. These are typical windows; the doctor advises on the right timing for you, and some tests need repeating.[1][3]
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Infection | Usual test | When the test becomes reliable |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia and gonorrhoea | Urine sample or swab (NAAT) | From about 2 weeks after exposure |
| HIV | Blood test (antigen/antibody) | From about 4 weeks; a negative result is confirmed with a test at 6–8 weeks |
| Syphilis | Blood test | From about 2–4 weeks after a sore appears; confirmed by 12 weeks |
| Genital herpes | Swab taken from an active sore | While blisters or sores are present (test the sore, not a window) |
| Hepatitis B | Blood test | From about 6 weeks up to 3 months |
If a current partner has already tested positive for something like chlamydia, treatment may be started without waiting for your own result, which is standard practice in that situation. Otherwise, the honest order is test first, then treat, and the doctor helps you time it right.
What are the symptoms of an STI?
Many STIs cause no symptoms at all, which is exactly why testing after a new or unprotected partner matters even when you feel completely fine. When symptoms do appear, common ones include unusual discharge from the vagina or penis, pain or burning when passing urine, sores, blisters, lumps or ulcers around the genitals or anus, itching, unusual bleeding, or pain during sex.[1]
Because these symptoms overlap between infections, and with non-sexual conditions, they cannot tell you which STI you have on their own. A burning sensation when urinating might be chlamydia, gonorrhoea, urethritis or a urine infection; a sore might be herpes or syphilis. That overlap is the reason the pathway runs through a test rather than a guess, and the doctor's job is to match the right test to your symptoms and exposures.
What the doctor checks in an online STI consultation
The consultation is structured to get you to the right test and the right treatment quickly. The doctor will typically check:
- Your symptoms and their timing: what you have noticed, where, and how long ago the exposure you are worried about was.
- Any test results you already have: a positive result changes the consultation from testing to treatment.
- The sites and type of contact: genital, oral or anal, because tests and treatment must match the sites involved.
- Red-flag symptoms: pelvic pain with fever, a painful, swollen testicle, or feeling systemically unwell, which point to in-person care.
- Pregnancy, medicines and allergies, which affect which treatments are safe and appropriate.
- Partners and exposures, so notification and retesting advice is realistic and complete.
When STIs are treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: confirmed, uncomplicated chlamydia; genital herpes outbreaks and suppression; pubic lice; assessment of symptoms to work out which test you need; and review of results with a clear treatment or referral plan. The doctor also arranges wider testing, including HIV, where that is sensible.
In-person care: gonorrhoea and syphilis, whose treatment (injections) and blood tests are given in person; suspected pelvic inflammatory disease or a painful testicle, which are urgent; genital warts needing a clinic procedure; and any situation where you have symptoms but no test yet, in which case the honest next step is a test, not a blind prescription. In those cases the consultation buys you the right test and the right referral, quickly.
Do I need to tell my partner?
Yes, and it matters for your health as much as theirs. If a current partner is not tested and treated, many STIs simply pass back and forth. As a general rule, recent partners should be advised to test, and the doctor can help you work out who that covers and what to say.
Partner notification does not have to be a confrontation. A short, factual message is enough: that they should get tested because they may have been exposed. Several countries run anonymous notification services that contact partners without naming you, and the doctor can tell you what exists where you live. A positive result also does not prove when or from whom an infection came, because many STIs can sit silently for a long time, so it is rarely worth turning into a question of blame.
When to get in-person care
Most STIs are not emergencies, but some situations are. Seek urgent in-person care for severe lower abdominal or pelvic pain with fever (possible pelvic inflammatory disease), sudden severe pain or swelling in a testicle (which can be a surgical emergency), or feeling very unwell with a high fever after a recent exposure. If pain is sudden and severe, you cannot pass urine at all, or someone collapses, call 112 immediately.
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: open daily 7am–11pm CET. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, exact price up front.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about STIs: a private video call: you describe what you feel, the doctor asks what matters, and you agree the right plan together.
- Get your plan: treatment where it fits online, the right test where you need one, and a clear clinic referral otherwise, or full refund.
No sign-up needed
Not sure it’s an STI? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Chlamydia and HIV can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about STIs
What are sexually transmitted infections, and how do you catch them?
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections passed on mainly through vaginal, anal or oral sex, and sometimes through genital skin contact, shared sex toys, or from mother to baby. Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are caused by bacteria or parasites and are curable; herpes, HPV, hepatitis B and HIV are viral and lifelong but manageable; pubic lice and scabies spread by close contact. Most STIs are caught from someone who had no idea.
What are the symptoms of an STI?
STI symptoms, when they appear, include unusual discharge from the vagina, penis or anus, pain or burning on urinating, pain during sex, bleeding between periods or after sex, sores, blisters, lumps or warts on the genitals or anus, a rash, itching, testicular or lower abdominal pain, and swollen glands in the groin. Many STIs cause nothing at all for weeks, months or years, so the absence of symptoms does not mean the absence of infection.
Can an online doctor prescribe STI treatment in Europe?
For some STIs, yes, after a consultation and usually a positive test. Chlamydia, genital herpes, pubic lice and external genital warts can be treated by video, with the prescription usable at a pharmacy near you. Gonorrhoea and syphilis are treated with injections given in person, so for those the doctor arranges testing and refers you. A prescription is never issued without a consultation.
Can I get an STI test through Mobi Doctor?
The video consultation does not include a physical test, and an honest service says so. What the doctor does is tell you exactly which STI tests you need and where to get them where you live, whether a postal self-sampling kit, a laboratory, a pharmacy or a sexual health clinic, which sites to sample, and how long to wait after the risk; then reviews the results with you and treats what can be treated online.
How soon after unprotected sex should I test for STIs?
It depends on the STI: chlamydia and gonorrhoea tests are reliable from about two weeks, HIV from about four weeks with a confirming test at twelve, syphilis by twelve weeks, and hepatitis B by about three months; herpes is diagnosed from a swab of a sore rather than a blood test. Without symptoms, one screen about seven weeks after the risk covers most of them; with symptoms, or a partner's positive result, test at once.
Which STIs cannot be treated online?
Gonorrhoea and syphilis, because both are treated with injections given in person, and their confirming tests are done in person too, so the online role is assessment, test direction and follow-up. HIV and hepatitis B need specialist care. Internal or extensive genital warts and any STI complication such as pelvic inflammatory disease are also referred. For every STI, the doctor says plainly what can be done by video and what cannot.
Do I have to tell my partner about an STI?
Yes, for your own sake as much as theirs, because an untreated partner reinfects you. Partners from the past three to six months, depending on the STI, should be advised to test and treat; the doctor helps you decide who to contact and what to say, and most countries' sexual health clinics can notify partners anonymously. STIs are common, usually silent and nearly always treatable, which makes the conversation easier than it feels.
How long does STI treatment take to work?
A curable STI usually responds within days: chlamydia symptoms ease within a few days of a seven-day course, gonorrhoea within days of the injection, trichomoniasis after a short course. Herpes outbreaks shorten with antivirals, and warts clear over weeks to months. Sex waits until a week after you and your partner finish treatment, a test of cure is used for gonorrhoea, syphilis and in pregnancy, and a repeat screen at three months catches reinfection.
What should I do while waiting for an STI test or result?
Avoid all sex, including oral sex, until you have the result and any treatment is complete, so you do not pass an STI on; do not take leftover or internet-bought antibiotics, which can mask the result and fuel resistance; drink enough to keep urine dilute if urinating stings; keep sores clean and dry; note symptom dates and recent partners; and contact a clinic within 72 hours if HIV exposure is possible, because PEP cannot wait.
How can I prevent STIs?
Prevent STIs by using condoms for vaginal and anal sex and condoms or dams for oral sex with new partners, testing together before stopping condoms, not sharing sex toys without washing or a new condom, having the HPV and hepatitis B vaccines, testing yearly or with each new partner, and, at high risk of HIV, asking about PrEP, which prevents it. Condoms reduce but do not remove the risk of STIs spread by skin contact.
What should I do if I think I have been exposed to HIV?
Contact a sexual health clinic or emergency department as soon as possible, because post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a 28-day course of HIV medicine, works only if started within 72 hours and best within 24. It is advised after condomless anal or vaginal sex with a partner known or likely to have untreated HIV, or a shared needle. An online consultation can say whether PEP is likely and where to get it, but cannot supply it.
Are STIs different in pregnancy?
Yes. Several STIs can pass to the baby during pregnancy or birth, chlamydia and gonorrhoea causing eye and lung infection, syphilis causing miscarriage, stillbirth and congenital syphilis, herpes caught late in pregnancy a serious newborn infection, and HIV and hepatitis B lifelong infection without treatment. Pregnancy screening covers syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B, treatments are chosen for safety in pregnancy, and a positive result is managed with the maternity team rather than online alone.
Is it an STI or something else?
Many genital symptoms are not STIs: thrush and bacterial vaginosis cause discharge and itch, a urinary tract infection burning and frequency, balanitis a sore red glans, ingrown hairs and folliculitis pimples, and pearly penile papules, Fordyce spots and skin tags are harmless lumps often mistaken for warts. Because the symptoms overlap and STIs are often silent, the doctor uses a test to tell them apart rather than guessing from the description.
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) fact sheet, World Health Organization (WHO), 2024.
- European guidelines on the management of sexually transmitted infections, IUSTI Europe (International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections), 2020–2023.
- Sexually transmitted infections: facts and surveillance, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 2024.
- Chlamydia infection, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), accessed August 2026.
- Herpes simplex virus: fact sheet, WHO, World Health Organization, accessed August 2026.
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed May 2024.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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