How soon after sex can I have a test?It’s important not to delay going for a test if you think you might have chlamydia. A test can be carried out straight away but you may be advised to have another test two weeks after having sex. You can have a test for chlamydia even if you don’t have any symptoms. Show
What does a chlamydia test involve?
A swab looks a bit like a cotton bud but is smaller and rounded. It sometimes has a small plastic loop on the end rather than a cotton tip. It’s wiped over the parts of the body that could be infected. This only takes a few seconds and isn’t painful, though it may be uncomfortable for a moment. Cervical screening (smear tests) and routine blood tests don’t detect chlamydia. If you’re not sure whether you’ve been tested for chlamydia, just ask. How accurate are the tests?The accuracy of a chlamydia test depends on the kind of test used and the type of sample that’s collected. The recommended tests are over 95% accurate in picking up chlamydia. As no test is 100% accurate there’s a small chance that the test will give a negative result when you do have chlamydia. This is known as a false negative result. This can sometimes explain why you might get a different result from another test or why you and a partner might get a different test result. It’s possible for the test to be positive if you haven’t got chlamydia, but this is rare. Where can I get a test?There are a number of services you can go to. Choose the one you feel most comfortable with. A chlamydia test can be done at:
Abortion clinics, antenatal services and some gynaecology services may also offer a chlamydia test. In England, if you’re a woman aged under 25 years old, you may be offered a chlamydia test as part of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) when you visit some service for other reasons, for example at a pharmacy or your GP. The NCSP aims to identify people without symptoms to reduce the complications of untreated infection. If chlamydia is not treated, it can cause health complications, especially in women. Untreated chlamydia in women can cause pain in the pelvis, ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy in the fallopian tubes) and infertility (being unable to have children). If you are a woman aged under 25 years old and you are offered a chlamydia test as part of the NCSP you should consider taking it. In many areas, free home self-sampling tests for chlamydia are available to order online. This is where you take your own sample and send it to be tested. See www.nhs.uk It’s also possible to buy a chlamydia test to do at home. The accuracy of these tests varies. Some types are very accurate when carried out according to the instructions, others can be less reliable. If you buy a testing kit make sure you get advice from a pharmacist or your doctor. You can also choose to pay for a chlamydia test at a private clinic. Will I have to pay for tests?All tests are free through NHS services and the National Chlamydia Screening Programme. Treatment from these services is also free (see Treatment). Will I know how long I've had the infection?A chlamydia test can’t tell you how long the infection’s been there. If you feel upset or angry about having chlamydia and find it difficult to talk to a partner or friends, don’t be afraid to discuss how you feel with the staff at the clinic or general practice. Chlamydia Treatment and CareChlamydia is easily cured but can make pregnancy difficult if left untreated.What is the treatment for chlamydia?Chlamydia can be easily cured with antibiotics. HIV-positive persons with chlamydia should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative. Persons with chlamydia should abstain from sexual activity for 7 days after single dose antibiotics or until completion of a 7-day course of antibiotics, to prevent spreading the infection to partners. It is important to take all of the medication prescribed to cure chlamydia. Medication for chlamydia should not be shared with anyone. Although medication will stop the infection, it will not repair any permanent damage done by the disease. If a person’s symptoms continue for more than a few days after receiving treatment, he or she should return to a health care provider to be reevaluated. Repeat infection with chlamydia is common. Women whose sex partners have not been appropriately treated are at high risk for re-infection. Having multiple chlamydial infections increases a woman’s risk of serious reproductive health complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy. Women and men with chlamydia should be retested about three months after treatment of an initial infection, regardless of whether they believe that their sex partners were successfully treated. Infants infected with chlamydia may develop ophthalmia neonatorum (conjunctivitis) and/or pneumonia. Chlamydial infection in infants can be treated with antibiotics. Treatment Guidelines and Updates
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Can I still have chlamydia after taking azithromycin?Azithromycin works to treat genital chlamydia in both men and women by stopping the bacteria from multiplying. Studies suggest that a one-gram dosage has 97% efficacy. That means that for every 100 people who take azithromycin to treat chlamydia, 97 will be cured and three will not be cured.
How do you know if chlamydia is gone after treatment?Chlamydia is a bacterial infection (like strep throat or an ear infection), which means that once you've been treated and tested negative for it (to make sure the antibiotics worked), it's gone.
How long does it take for azithromycin to start working?Azithromycin starts working soon after you take your first dose. Oral azithromycin usually needs about 2 to 3 hours to reach its full concentration in your body, but the effects might not be noticeable right away. You should start to feel better after a few days of taking azithromycin.
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How long does it take for chlamydia to go away after taking azithromycin
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