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.

Telling someone you have a sexually transmitted infection is hard. Most people who do it say the dread was worse than the conversation.

This guide walks through how to tell someone about an STD, step by step, with a script you can adapt. It also explains expedited partner therapy and what Texas rules say about it. Everything here is written for people in San Antonio and Bexar County, and it fits any gender, orientation or relationship type.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported 5,983 gonorrhea cases in Bexar County in 2022, a rate of 290.5 per 100,000 people. The statewide DSHS rate that year was 207.0. These infections are common, they are treatable, and telling a partner is part of how they get handled.

Why partners need to know

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) say partners of a person with an STI should be evaluated, tested and often treated. There are two main reasons.

Their health. Many infections cause no noticeable symptoms. A partner may not know to get checked unless someone tells them.
Preventing a loop. If one person is treated and a partner is not, the infection can pass back and forth. Clinicians call this reinfection.

Public health workers call this process partner notification for STDs. It is routine, and it is not a punishment. Telling a partner is a kind and practical act.

What you need before you start

Gather these first. They make the conversation calmer.

Your result or your clinician's words. Know which infection was named, or what is still pending.
A short list of facts. The name of the infection, whether it is curable or manageable, and what a clinician said about next steps.
A time and place. Private, unhurried and free of interruptions. A phone call or text is fine if meeting in person is not safe or not possible.
Testing options ready. Have a clinic name and hours in hand so your partner has a next step.
Support. A friend, counselor or clinic staff member you can talk to afterward.

Step-by-step: how to tell your partner about an STD

1. Get the facts straight first

Ask your clinician what the infection is, whether it is curable, and how long partners might have been exposed. The CDC says chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment from a clinician. HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable or manageable.

Do not guess about timing. If you are not sure when you were exposed, say so. A clinician can help you decide which partners to tell.

2. Decide who needs to hear it

Think about recent partners. The CDC guidelines describe how far back to look for each infection, and a clinician can tell you the right window for yours. Write down the names or contact details you have.

If a conversation could put you at risk of harm, talk to the clinic first. Staff can help you plan another route.

3. Pick the format that feels safest

In person works well for ongoing relationships. A call or text is reasonable for a past partner or when you feel unsafe. There is no single right way. What matters is that the person finds out.

4. Start with care, not apology

You did not do something shameful by having an infection. Open with the reason you are speaking up: you care about their health.

Here is a calm script you can change to fit your voice:

"I want to tell you something because I care about you. I recently got tested and I have [name of infection]."
"It is [curable / treatable] with care from a clinician."
"Because we were together, I think you should get tested too. Many infections do not cause symptoms, so it is easy to miss."
"I can share where I went, and I am glad to talk about it."

5. Say the facts plainly

Name the infection. Say when you found out. Say what you are doing about it. Keep it short and clear.

Avoid guessing who gave it to whom. Neither of you can know that from a test result alone. Many infections can sit unnoticed for months or years.

6. Give them room to react

Your partner may be quiet, upset, relieved or full of questions. All of that is normal. You can say, "Take your time. We can talk again later."

If the conversation turns hostile, it is fine to end it. You have done the important part by telling them.

7. Point to testing and care

Offer a concrete next step. A list of San Antonio options is in our guide to STD testing in San Antonio. You can also use the CDC's GetTested locator to find testing by ZIP code.

Tell your partner that a clinician can say which tests fit their situation and timing. The CDC notes that different tests detect an infection at different points after exposure, so a clinician can advise on the right test and whether a repeat test makes sense.

8. Talk about what happens next together

For chlamydia and gonorrhea, the CDC advises avoiding sex until treatment is finished and until partners have been treated, to prevent passing the infection back. A clinician will give the exact timing for your situation.

The CDC also recommends retesting about three months after treatment for some bacterial infections, because reinfection is common. Ask your clinician whether that applies to you.

Expedited partner therapy: what it is

Expedited partner therapy, often shortened to EPT, lets a clinician provide treatment or a prescription for a patient's partner without first examining that partner. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe EPT as an option for partners of people with chlamydia or gonorrhea where state law allows it.

EPT does not replace a visit. A partner who gets treatment this way should still be tested, and some infections, such as syphilis and HIV, need a full evaluation by a clinician. EPT is also not a way to skip a conversation. It works best alongside one.

Is expedited partner therapy legal in Texas?

According to the CDC's page on the Legal Status of EPT in Texas, Texas has no EPT statute. The legal basis is a set of administrative rules in Title 22 of the Texas Administrative Code. The CDC lists these:

Physicians. A Texas Medical Board rule (22 Tex. Admin. Code Sec. 190.8) says no practitioner-patient relationship is required for a physician to prescribe STD medications for the partners of the physician's established patient.
Advanced practice nurses. APRNs may order or prescribe STD medications for partners of an established patient. They are not required to (22 Tex. Admin. Code Sec. 222.4).
Pharmacists. Pharmacists may dispense partner STD prescriptions without a physician-partner relationship. The partner's name is not required on the label (22 Tex. Admin. Code Sec. 291.29 and Sec. 291.33).

The CDC's Texas entry refers to sexually transmitted diseases in general and does not limit EPT to specific infections. Even so, the clinician decides whether EPT fits your situation. Some clinicians may offer it and others may prefer to see the partner. Ask at your visit.

What about notification help from the health department?

Some health departments offer to contact partners for you without using your name. The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health) page on STIs and HIV does not describe an anonymous partner notification service, so this guide does not promise one.

To ask, call the Metro Health STI Walk-In Clinic at 210-207-8830. They can tell you what help exists. Texas DSHS lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV as notifiable conditions in its 2026 list, which means clinicians and labs report them to public health. Ask the clinic what that means for your case.

Free and low-cost testing in San Antonio

You and your partner can both find care locally. Check each clinic for current hours before you go.

Metro Health STI Walk-In Clinic, 512 E. Highland, Suite 150, San Antonio, TX 78210, 210-207-8830. Metro Health lists a $15 office visit administrative fee, with other fees varying by service. Hours are Monday to Thursday 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (latest check-in 3 p.m.) and Friday 7:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (latest check-in 10:30 a.m.). Check-in may close early at capacity. Metro Health says a photo ID is required and testing is not anonymous.
San Antonio AIDS Foundation, 818 E. Grayson Street, San Antonio, TX 78208, (210) 225-4715. Its testing page lists rapid HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia testing, free, with no appointment needed. It says gonorrhea and chlamydia results take 7 to 10 days through the state lab.
Alamo Area Resource Center, 303 N. Frio, San Antonio, TX 78207, (210) 625-7200. Its page lists free testing for HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, with walk-ins Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday until 8 p.m.
Kind Clinic, 730 Isom Road, San Antonio, TX 78216, general support line 833-937-5463. Kind Clinic lists free walk-in HIV and STI testing, and its walk-in hours differ from its clinic hours, so call ahead.
CommuniCare Apollo Wellness Clinic, 6511 W Loop 1604 N, Ste. 105, San Antonio, TX 78254, (726) 224-3438. CommuniCare lists a sliding fee discount for self-pay patients under 200% of federal poverty guidelines.

If getting to a clinic is hard, Texas DSHS runs Test for Texas, which offers free mailed at-home kits for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia to anyone in Texas aged 13 or older. DSHS says results arrive in a secure portal about seven business days after the sample reaches the lab.

Tips and common mistakes

Do not wait for the perfect moment. A calm, timely conversation beats a perfect one. Delay lets an infection go untreated.
Do not blame. Say "I want you to know" rather than "you gave this to me."
Do not diagnose your partner. You can say they may want testing. Only a test and a clinician can say more.
Do not skip past partners. A past partner may have no idea. A short, kind message still helps.
Do not promise secrecy you cannot keep. Clinics report certain infections to public health, as noted above.
Do not assume one visit solves everything. Ask about retesting and about timing before resuming sex.
Look after yourself. If the conversation was hard, rest and reach out to someone you trust.

What to expect afterward

Every conversation goes differently. Many partners respond with concern and then get tested. Some need time before they reply.

For curable infections, treatment from a clinician is designed to clear the infection, and the CDC recommends follow-up steps so reinfection is less likely. For HIV, herpes and HPV, a clinician can explain how the infection is managed and how to lower the chance of passing it on. Outcomes vary from person to person.

Telling a partner can also bring relief. Many people report feeling lighter once the secret is gone, and a relationship can often grow more honest as a result.

Next steps

If you are not sure where to begin, call Metro Health at 210-207-8830 or use the CDC GetTested locator. A clinician can answer questions about your results, your partners and whether expedited partner therapy fits your situation.

How to Tell a Partner You Have an STD (and Expedited Partner Therapy in Texas)