Chlamydia trachomatis

Diagnosis

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends chlamydia testing for anyone with chlamydia symptoms. Regardless of symptoms, talk to your healthcare team to find out how often you should be screened for chlamydia. In general, some groups are screened more often than others, such as:

• Sexually active women age 25 or younger. The rate of chlamydia infection is highest in this group, so a yearly screening test is recommended. Even if you've been tested in the past year, get tested when you have a new sex partner.
• Pregnant people. Chlamydia screening may be offered during the first prenatal exam. If you have a high risk of infection, get tested again later in your pregnancy. You are at high risk if you are younger than age 25, have a new sex partner or have a sex partner who might be infected.
• People at high risk. People who have new or multiple sex partners or men who have sex with men should consider more frequent chlamydia screening. Other markers of high risk are current infection with another sexually transmitted infection and possible exposure to an STI through an infected partner.

Screening and diagnosis of chlamydia is relatively simple. You may be able to use a test that's available without a prescription, sometimes called an at-home test, to see if you have chlamydia. If that test shows you have chlamydia, you'll need to see a healthcare professional to confirm the diagnosis and start treatment.

To determine whether you have chlamydia, your healthcare professional will analyze a sample of cells. Samples can be collected with:

• A urine test. A sample of urine is analyzed in the laboratory for presence of this infection. This can be done for males and females.
• A swab. A sample from the cervix, vagina, throat or anus is collected on a swab for testing. From the cervix, a member of your healthcare team collects a sample of the discharge from the cervix on a swab for testing. This can be done during a routine Pap test. For a swab from the vagina, either you or the healthcare professional can do the swab. For males and females, depending on sexual history, a swab may be taken from the throat or the anus.

Treatment

Chlamydia trachomatis is treated with antibiotics. You will likely need to take a medicine for seven days, or you may be given a one-time dose of a medicine.

In most cases, the infection clears up within 1 to 2 weeks after you take the antibiotic. But you can still spread the infection at first. So avoid sexual activity from when you start treatment until all your symptoms are gone.

Your sexual partner or partners from the last 60 days also need screening and treatment even if they don't have symptoms. Otherwise, the infection can be passed back and forth between sexual partners. Make sure to avoid sexual contact until all exposed partners are treated.

Having chlamydia or having been treated for it in the past doesn't prevent you from getting it again.

Three months after treatment, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting tested for chlamydia again. This is to make sure people haven't been reinfected with the bacteria, which can happen if sex partners aren't treated, or new sex partners have the bacteria.

Preparing for your appointment

If you think you have a sexually transmitted infection, such as Chlamydia trachomatis, see a healthcare professional.

What you can do

Before your appointment, prepare to answer the following questions:

• When did your symptoms begin?
• Does anything make them better or worse?
• What medicines and supplements do you take regularly?

You also might want to prepare a list of questions to ask your healthcare professional. Sample questions include:

• Should I be tested for other sexually transmitted infections?
• Should my partner be tested or treated for chlamydia infection?
• Should I avoid sex during treatment? How long should I wait?
• How can I prevent chlamydia infection in the future?

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare professional is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:

• Do you have a new sexual partner or multiple partners?
• Do you use condoms consistently?
• Do you have pelvic pain?
• Do you have pain while urinating?
• Do you have sores or unusual discharge?