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Health Promotion and Wellness

STI and HIV/AIDS Testing

If you want to be tested and/or treated for a sexually transmitted disease/infection, Illinois State University students can contact Student Health Services at (309) 438-2778 to make an appointment. Testing and treatment is also available at the McLean County Health Department by calling (309) 888-5435.

STD/STI Signs and Symptoms*

  • Unusual discharge from the penis or vagina
  • Pain in the pelvic area, below the stomach
  • Burning or itching in or around the penis or vagina
  • Pain during urination
  • Pain during sexual intercourse
  • Frequent urination
  • Sores, bumps or blisters around the genitals, rectum or mouth

If you have any of these signs or symptoms, seek testing and treatment immediately. STI's will not go away by themselves. If left untreated, they could lead to more serious health problems such as damage to the reproductive organs and sterility.

*Note: Often, STI's don't produce any signs or symptoms for months or at all, or the symptoms may not be noticeable. If you have had unprotected sex even once, you may want to consider getting tested.

STI/STD Testing and Treatment

If you want to be tested and/or treated for a sexually transmitted disease/infection, Illinois State University students can contact Student Health Services at (309) 438-2778 to make an appointment. Testing and treatment is also available at the McLean County Health Department by calling (309) 888-5435.

Protecting Yourself Against STI's

  • Wait to have sex until you and your partner are both ready and can discuss it openly and honestly.
    About 25% of Illinois State University students have not had sex in the last year.*
  • Have sex with only one uninfected partner who only has sex with you. About 68% of Illinois State University students had sex with only one partner or with no one in the last year.*
  • Talk to your partner about previous sexual partners.
  • Use a dental dam (latex square) for oral/vaginal or oral/anal sex to prevent the spread of STIs from the vagina or anus to the mouth, and vice versa.
  • Use latex condoms or the Female/Internal condom every time during anal, vaginal, or oral intercourse. It's not 100%, but condoms greatly reduce the risk for STIs. The pill and other types of contraception do NOT protect against STIs.
  • If you or your partner are allergic to latex, you can use the Lifestyles Natural Latex Free condom or the FC2 Female/Internal condom. See video below about the FC2 Female condom: http://www.totalaccessgroup.com/FC2_Female_Condom_All_About_Pleasure_by_Support_World_Wide.html
  • Condoms are available in the Student Health Services Pharmacy (located in the Student Services Building across from the Bone Student Center). Condoms, dental dams, water-based and silicone-based lubricants are also available at the G Spot and Health Promotion and Wellness, Suite 187 McCormick Hall located across the street from the Student Fitness Center.

About 70% of Illinois State students use condoms during vaginal intercourse.

* American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment conducted at Illinois State University in Spring 2019, n=559

HIV Testing

What is an HIV test?

Most HIV tests use blood to determine if you are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. There are some tests that use oral fluids from the mouth or urine. If you test positive, it means you are infected with HIV and can infect others even though you may not look or feel sick. Counseling is provided to discuss all your treatment options.

Should I get tested?

You may want to consider getting tested if you have:

  • had unprotected anal, vaginal, or oral sex with someone and you are unsure if they have HIV
  • shared needles or syringes for injecting drugs, body piercing, or tattooing

How do I get an HIV Test?

An appointment can be made at the Illinois State University Student Health Service by calling 438-2778 (APPT) or at our secure web site.

The McLean County Health Department also offers HIV testing. Call the Health Department at (309) 888-5435 to ask about HIV antibody testing.

How soon after exposure to HIV can a test confirm if I am infected?

No HIV test can detect HIV immediately after infection. If you think you’ve been exposed to HIV, talk to your health care provider as soon as possible.

The time between when a person gets HIV and when a test can accurately detect it is called the window period. The window period varies from person to person and also depends upon the type of HIV test.

  • Most HIV tests are antibody tests. Antibodies are produced by your immune system when you’re exposed to viruses like HIV or bacteria. HIV antibody tests look for these antibodies to HIV in your blood or oral fluid.
    The soonest an antibody test will detect infection is 3 weeks. Most (approximately 97%), but not all, people will develop detectable antibodies within 3 to 12 weeks (21 to 84 days) of infection.
  • A combination, or fourth-generation, test looks for both HIV antibodies and antigens. Antigens are foreign substances that cause your immune system to activate. The antigen is part of the virus itself and is present during acute HIV infection (the phase of infection right after people are infected but before they develop antibodies to HIV).
    Most, but not all people, will make enough antigens and antibodies for fourth-generation or combination tests to accurately detect infection 2 to 6 weeks (13 to 42 days) after infection.
  • A nucleic acid test (NAT) looks for HIV in the blood. It looks for the virus and not the antibodies to the virus. This test is very expensive and not routinely used for screening individuals unless they recently had a high-risk exposure or a possible exposure with early symptoms of HIV infection.
    Most, but not all people, will have enough HIV in their blood for a nucleic acid test to detect infection 1 to 4 weeks (7 to 28 days) after infection.

Ask your health care provider about the window period for the test you’re taking. If you’re using a home test, you can get that information from the materials included in the test’s package. If you get an HIV test within 3 months after a potential HIV exposure and the result is negative, get tested again in 3 more months to be sure.

How can I protect myself from HIV?

  • By not having anal, vaginal, or oral sex. There are other activities you can do for fun and intimacy that don't put you or your partner at risk, such as: massage, hugging, kissing, masturbation, fantasy, etc.
  • Have sex with only one person who you KNOW is not infected (for example, get tested together).
  • Using latex condoms, female/internal condoms or dental dams every time during sex, including oral/anal or oral/vaginal, can also greatly reduce your risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STDs/STIs). Condoms are available in the Health Promotion and Wellness office, Suite 187 McCormick Hall in the Student Fitness Center Complex, the Student Health Service Pharmacy (Student Service Building Room 293) and at the G Spot
  • By not sharing needles and syringes.
  • If you drink alcohol, having four or fewer drinks will reduce your risk for impairment and your risk for engaging in high risk activities (i.e. unprotected sex), that could lead to HIV infection.

For more information about HIV/AIDS, call: