Tell your partner
Your doctor diagnosed you with a sexually transmitted infection? Partner notification
If you’ve been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI), reflect, together with your doctor
- who transmitted you the STI, and
- whom you might have passed the infection on to.
You should inform your sexual partners about your diagnosis. Though that is voluntary, it is important to do so. They might be infected even if they have no symptoms. It’s important they get tested and, if necessary, treated.
If your sexual relationship with these partners is ongoing, both of you need to be treated simultaneously. Otherwise there is a chance you repeatedly re-infect each other (“ping pong infection”).
NOTE: Left untreated, infections can lead to serious health complications.
Can’t have a face-to-face conversation?
If a face-to-face conversation is not possible, you can write to your sexual partners. Here are some suggestions for sending a text or an email.
Choose your language and the infection you have been diagnosed with. Then copy the wording and paste it into a text message or an email.