I am a 27 year old gay male writing from Washington, DC. I have just recently contracted my 3rd STI, and though I am glad the STIs I've gotten are easily cured, I am concerned that I'm doing something wrong. I understand that each time I was infected, it was because I wasn't practicing safe sex, and I take full responsibility for that, but that's not why I'm confused. All 3 times I've contracted an STI (Gonorrhea 1st, Chlamydia 2nd, and Chlamydia again 3rd) I told the person that I was sleeping with, and they immediately got tested as well, but all three times, my partners have tested negative. The first time, my partner went again to a different clinic, got tested a second time and found that he was positive after testing with a different method (anal swab). My understanding is that I showed symptoms (as the top) and my partner didn't as it was only active in his rectum, so when the doctor took a urine sample, it came back negative as that doesn't accurately test an infection in the rectum. With that said, I have 3 questions: How long after contracting an STI can symptoms become visible (is it possible that I'm just now showing symptoms from a partner from weeks or even months earlier?) Are there other ways of contracting Chlamydia or Gonorrhea other than vaginal, anal, or oral sex? and lastly, Why are doctors content with testing urine when in my, and I assume many other gay men's experience it is not very effective?