Chlamydia Test

What is a chlamydia test?

Chlamydia is a common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI), especially in sexually active people younger than age 25. You can get a chlamydia infection through sexual contact. This includes having vaginal, oral, or anal sex without a condom with a partner who has chlamydia.

A chlamydia test checks a sample of fluid from your body to look for the bacteria that causes chlamydia. The type of fluid depends on the part of your body that may be infected. Your sample may be:

• Urine (pee)
• Fluid that's swabbed from your:
  • Urethra (the tube that carries urine out of your body)
  • Rectum (the last part of your intestine that connects to the anus)
  • Vagina

Chlamydia often has no symptoms, so you may spread the disease to others without even knowing you have it. If you are pregnant and have chlamydia, you can give the infection to your baby during childbirth. Chlamydia can cause pneumonia and eye problems in babies.

Chlamydia can be cured with antibiotics. But if it's not treated, it can cause serious, lasting health problems, even if you don't have symptoms:

• In women, untreated chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can permanently damage the female reproductive system and may cause infertility (problems getting pregnant).
• In men, untreated chlamydia can lead to swelling and pain in the tubes that carry sperm out of the testicles (male sex glands that produce sperm, also called testes). It can also cause infertility (problems getting someone pregnant), but this rarely happens.

A chlamydia test helps find the disease early so you can get treatment before you develop lasting health problems or spread the disease to others.

Other names: Chlamydia NAAT or NAT, Chlamydia/GC STD Panel, Chlamydia Culture

What is it used for?

If you're sexually active, a chlamydia test is used to:

• Check for a chlamydia infection when you don't have symptoms
• Diagnose or rule out chlamydia when you do have symptoms

Symptoms of chlamydia may include:

• An unusual fluid discharge from your genitals (penis or vagina) or rectum
• Irritation or itching around your genitals
• Pain or burning when you urinate (pee)
• Pain or bleeding in your rectum
• In men, pain and swelling in one or both testicles

Chlamydia tests are often done with other STI tests because people often have more than one STI at the same time. For example, many people who have chlamydia also have gonorrhea.

If you have chlamydia, you'll be tested again three months after you finish treatment. That's because it's common to get chlamydia again.

Why do I need a chlamydia test?

If your sex partner has been diagnosed with chlamydia or if you have symptoms that could mean you have a chlamydia infection, you will need to be tested. But chlamydia usually doesn't cause symptoms. So, getting tested is the only way to know for sure if you have an infection. That's why medical experts recommend routine screening tests if you have a high risk of getting chlamydia:

• If you are a sexually active woman, you should get tested for chlamydia at least every year if you:
  • Are younger than age 25
  • Are age 25 or older and have a high risk of infection because you have:
    • A new sex partner
    • More than one sex partner
    • A sex partner who has sex with other people
    • A sex partner who has an STI
  • Have HIV (You should be tested for chlamydia the first time you see your provider for HIV care. After that you should be tested at least once a year. But you may need to get tested more often if your sexual activity increases your risk of getting chlamydia.)
• If you are pregnant, ask your health care provider about chlamydia testing at your first prenatal visit. The test is often included with routine prenatal tests. You should be tested if you are younger than age 25. If you are older than age 25, you should be tested if you have a high risk of getting chlamydia.
• If you are a sexually active gay or bisexual man, you should get tested for chlamydia at least every year. But you will need to get tested more frequently (every 3 to 6 months) if you have:
  • More than one sex partner
  • A sex partner who has sex with other people
  • Anonymous sex (having sex with people you don't know)
  • HIV or take PrEP medicine to prevent HIV
• If you are a heterosexual (straight) man:
  • Medical experts don't suggest routine testing for chlamydia if you have no symptoms and a low risk of infection.
  • If you have HIV, you should be tested for chlamydia the first time you see your provider for HIV care. After that you should be tested at least once a year. But you may need to be tested more often if your sexual activity increases your risk of getting chlamydia.

The best testing schedule for you may be different than the recommendations. So have an honest talk with your provider about your sexual activity to help them figure out how often you should get tested.

What happens during a chlamydia test?

To do a chlamydia test, you will need to provide a sample of fluid from the part of your body that may be infected. There are two ways to gather the sample:

• For a first-catch urine sample, you'll use a sterile cup to collect urine from the very first part of your urine stream. To get an accurate test result, you will need to avoid urinating for two hours before the test.
• For a swab sample, your provider will use a special swab or brush to collect cells, usually from your genital area. You may feel some brief discomfort. Your provider may give you the choice to swab yourself. In certain cases, fluid may be swabbed from your rectum, throat, eyes, or cervix (the lower part of the uterus).

Test results are usually ready in a day. There are some rapid chlamydia tests that can provide results in 90 minutes or less.

You can also buy at-home tests for chlamydia and other STIs. With these tests, you collect a swab or urine sample at home and send it to a lab for testing. It's important to follow all the instructions carefully and discuss your test results with your provider.

You should not use an at-home test if you have symptoms of chlamydia or if your partner has chlamydia. In that case, it's important to talk with your provider right away so you don't delay treatment. Ask your provider whether at-home chlamydia testing is right for you.

Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?

Preparations for a chlamydia test depend on the type of sample you will be providing. You may need to avoid antibiotic medicines and vaginal douches and creams for 24 hours before your test. But don't stop taking any medicines without talking with your provider first. Ask your provider if there are any special instructions for your test.

Are there any risks to the test?

There are no known risks to having a chlamydia test.

What do the results mean?

• A negative test result means that you did not have a chlamydia infection when the sample was collected.
• A positive test result means you have been infected with chlamydia.

If you have chlamydia, you will need to:

• Take antibiotics to treat your infection. Your provider will tell you how to take your medicine. To make sure your infection is cured, follow the instructions carefully and finish all the medicine.
• Tell your sexual partner/s that you have chlamydia so that they can be tested and treated if necessary.
• Get retested for chlamydia three months after you finish treatment. That's because repeat infections are very common. Ask your provider to tell you how often to get tested after that.

Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.

Is there anything else I need to know about a chlamydia test?

The most reliable way to prevent chlamydia is not to have vaginal, oral, or anal sex. But if you are sexually active, you can reduce your risk of getting chlamydia and other STIs by:

• Having sex with only one partner who has sex only with you (mutual monogamy). But first, both of you should get tested for chlamydia and other STIs.
• Using latex condoms correctly every time you have sex. If your or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.