Chlamydia Gc Amplification Blood Test

What Is A Chlamydia Carrier

Whenever we talk about a carrier in medical terms, we are effectively talking about someone who can infect others with an infectious condition. Anyone with chlamydia is carrying the Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria in their body. This bacteria is easily passed on through unprotected sex whether the person has physical symptoms or not.

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How Does This At

This gonorrhea and chlamydia at-home test is a urine test â so a vaginal swab or blood sample is not required. To take the test, simply urinate in a collection cup and place your sample in the mail. Weâll send your sample to one of the labs we use for testing .

The lab will then use molecular testing technology that can identify the DNA of gonorrhea and chlamydia in your sample. This type of testing, known as nucleic acid amplification, is usually more accurate than other methods of gonorrhea and chlamydia testing .

What Is Being Tested

Chlamydia is one of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted diseases in the United States and can cause serious complications if not treated. Chlamydia testing identifies the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis as the cause of your infection.

The preferred method for chlamydia testing is the nucleic acid amplification test that detects the genetic material of Chlamydia trachomatis. It is generally more sensitive and specific than other chlamydia tests and can be performed on a vaginal swab on women or urine from both men and women, which eliminates the need for a pelvic exam in women.

Screening for, diagnosing, and treating chlamydia is very important in preventing long-term complications and spread of the infection to others. Chlamydia infections are especially common among people 15 to 24 years of age. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 2.86 million Americans are infected with chlamydia each year and notes that women are frequently re-infected if their partners don’t get treatment. The actual number of cases may be higher since many people do not experience any symptoms and do not get tested and diagnosed. Still, over one million new cases are reported each year.

Chlamydia is generally spread through sexual contact with an infected partner. Risk factors include having multiple sex partners, infection with another STD at the same time or previous STD infection, and not using a condom correctly and consistently.

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Is There Anything Else I Need To Know About A Chlamydia Test

Chlamydia testing enables diagnosis and treatment of the infection before it can cause serious health problems. If you are at risk for chlamydia due to your age and/or lifestyle, talk to your health care provider about getting tested.

You can also take steps to prevent getting infected with chlamydia The best way to prevent chlamydia or any sexually transmitted disease is to not have vaginal, anal or oral sex. If you are sexually active, you can reduce your risk of infection by:

• Being in a long-term relationship with one partner who has tested negative for STDs
• Using condoms correctly every time you have sex

Appendix: Key Questions Reviewed By The Work Group And Member Responsible For Literature Summary

Performance Characteristics

• Does the sensitivity and specificity of available tests for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae vary with respect to anatomic site from which the specimen was collected and/or specimen type?
• Joan Chow, DrPH, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California
• Katherine Whitaker, PhD, Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Maryland

Screening Applications

• What specimen types are optimal for of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae screening purposes?
• Charlotte Gaydos, DrPH, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
• Sarah Guerry, MD, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Los Angeles, California
• Barbara Van Der Pol, PhD, Indiana University School of Public Health, Bloomington, Indiana

Economic Considerations

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Wouldnt Testing Everyone Stop The Spread Of Genital Herpes

We dont know. There is no evidence that diagnosing genital herpes with a blood test in someone without symptoms would change their sexual behavior and stop the virus from spreading. In addition, without knowing the benefits of testing, the risk of shaming and stigmatizing people outweighs the potential benefits. For these reasons, testing everyone for herpes is not recommended at this time.

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When Should I Get Chlamydia Testing

As most people infected with chlamydia do not experience symptoms, doctors rely on screening to detect most cases of chlamydia. Screening guidelines vary based on many factors, including a persons anatomy, health, and sexual practices. Regular screening for chlamydia is recommended for several groups:

Certain factors increase the risk of contracting chlamydia and may affect how often a person should be screened. Risk factors include having:

• Sex with a new partner
• More than one sexual partner or a partner who has sex with mutiple people
• A sex partner diagnosed with an STD

Testing for chlamydia is more frequently conducted in asymptomatic people in settings where infection rates are high, which often includes correctional facilities, adolescent health clinics, the military, and sexual health clinics.

Diagnostic chlamydia testing is recommended for anyone with signs or symptoms of this infection. When symptoms do occur, they may not appear until a few weeks after exposure. Signs and symptoms of chlamydia can vary based on the site of infection but may include:

• Burning during urination
• Abnormal discharge from the vagina, penis, or rectum
• Vaginal bleeding after sex or pain during intercourse
• Pain, tenderness, or swelling in the testicles or scrotum
• Rectal pain

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Questions For Your Doctor About Test Results

It can be helpful to bring questions to your doctor to learn more about your chlamydia test results. Helpful questions may include:

• What is my chlamydia test result?
• Did my test check for any other STDs?
• Do I need any treatment based on my results?
• How can I talk to my sexual partners about chlamydia?
• When should I be tested for STDs and how often?

Is The Chlamydia Blood Test Equally Effective

A Chlamydia blood test is done which shows the presence of the antibodies for the chlamydia trachomatis bacteria in your blood. However, the results are not conclusive. It may show false results. The test may come out false positive and can show the presence of antibodies which may be due to a past infection. Blood tests may fail to give definitive results of whether the person had the infection during the time of the test or whether he had it in the past. So, blood tests for chlamydia are not so effective and may not give the correct prognosis for the infection.

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Where Can I Get Tested For Chlamydia

You can get tested for chlamydia and other STDs at your doctors office, a community health clinic, the health department, or your local Planned Parenthood health center. In some states, you can do an online visit and take a chlamydia test at home.

STD testing isnt always part of your regular checkup or gynecologist exam you have to ask for it. Be open and honest with your nurse or doctor so they can help you figure out which tests you may need. Dont be embarrassed: Your doctor is there to help, not to judge.

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What Is A Gen

The GEN-PROBE APTIMA® Assay for Chlamydia trachomratisis a target amplification nucleic acid probe test that utilizes target capture for the in vitro qualitative detection of ribosomal RNA from Chlamydia trachomatis to aid in the diagnosis of chlamydial urogenital disease using the TIGRIS® DTS® Automated

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What Do The Results Mean

A positive result means you have been infected with chlamydia. The infection requires treatment with antibiotics. Your health care provider will give you instructions on how to take your medicine. Be sure to take all the required doses. In addition, let your sexual partner know you tested positive for chlamydia, so he or she can be tested and treated promptly.

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

What Is Chlamydia Dna Probe Test

Chlamydia trachomatis DNA probe. Direct sample is mostly body fluid from an infected part usually cervix, vagina, urethra or rectum. 24 hrs prior to the test a woman should not douche or apply vaginal creams. For sample collection, they will have to lie on an exam table with their feet raised or supported by stirrups.

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A Complete Blood Count Test

This is a routine blood test that can check for the levels of the major cells in your blood: white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. If this count is off in any way, it could be an indicator of a subtle or more serious type of disease, from nutrition deficiencies to cancer. If your results are of concern to your doctor, they will screen you for another blood test before give you a definite diagnosis.

This blood test is a good idea for anyone to get, but is especially important for those with a family history of illnesses such as cancer or heart disease.

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Am I At Risk For Chlamydia

You may face an increased risk of chlamydia if you have unprotected sex or have multiple sex partners. However, there are other risk factors besides these, so talk with your healthcare provider if you want to know more about your risk and what it could mean for your sexual health. And donât forget: when it comes to prevention and risk-reduction, regular STI screening can be a great place to start.

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When Is It Ordered

Screening

Because many infected people do not have any noticeable symptoms, a number of health organizations recommend regular chlamydia screening for certain people:

Women

All sexually active women younger than age 25 and sexually active women age 25 and older who are at increased risk should get yearly screening for chlamydia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American Academy of Pediatrics also recommend routine screening for these women .

Examples of risk factors for chlamydia infection include:

For pregnant women, the CDC recommends screening for chlamydia during the first trimester or first prenatal visit. For women younger than age 25 or at increased risk of infection, testing is repeated in the third trimester. Pregnant women diagnosed with chlamydia should be retested about 3 months after completing treatment.

Diagnosis

Chlamydia testing may also be done when your sex partner has been diagnosed with chlamydia or when you have signs and symptoms of chlamydia.

For women, if symptoms occur, they may include:

For men, symptoms may include:

Responses To Std Testing How To Where Privacy And Cost

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What Is A False Positive

A false positive is when a test result comes back positive, but the patient does not have an STD. This outcome is much rarer than a false negative, because it is a lot harder to detect something that is not there. It would usually be caused by an issue with the test itself.

If you take a test that offers a positive result, but you are highly uncertain of the accuracy, you should take a retest. There are a number of different kinds of STD tests that work in slightly different ways, whether its a different sample type or a different manufacturer. Retesting with a different type of test should offer you increased confidence in the results.

Dr Bani

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What Do The Gonorrhea And Chlamydia Test Results Mean

A positive test result means that Chlamydia or Gonorrhea bacteria are present and you have an infection. Sometimes you may have both types of infection. If you have a positive result, your health care provider will prescribe treatment with antibiotics.

State laws often require that health care providers report the names of people who have these infections to the health department. This allows the state health department to monitor for outbreaks and for infections that are becoming resistant to the usual antibiotics.

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How To Get Tested For Chlamydia

If you’re wondering how to test for chlamydia safely, here are several ways you can do so. Depending on your medical history and health concerns, your healthcare provider may suggest more than one test to see if you have a sexually transmitted infection. A panel might require a blood sample, genital swab, or urine sample.

While chlamydia isn’t a bloodborne disease, blood tests can determine whether you have chlamydia antibodies, which can reveal current or past chlamydia infections.

A penile or vaginal swab is another method your healthcare provider may use to test for STIs. For this type of test, your doctor uses a cotton swab for specimen collection.

Can you test for chlamydia through urine? The answer to this question is âyes,â and itâs quite a common testing method. In fact, you can use a urine sample to test for chlamydia at home. With the Everlywell Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Test, you simply urinate in a collection cup and place your urine specimen in the mail. Your sample is then tested in a CLIA-certified laboratory. The lab that tests your sample uses molecular testing techniquesâknown as nucleic acid amplification testsâwhich identify the DNA of gonorrhea and chlamydia in your sample.

Question 1 Which Specimen Types Are Suitable For C Trachomatis And N Gonorrhoeae Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests

For women, a vaginal sample is recommended in the absence of a pelvic exam. For men, first-catch urine is the recommended specimen.

The following urogenital specimens are suitable:

• First-catch urine sample from a male or a female
• Endocervical, vaginal, SurePath, or ThinPrep® vial with PreservCyt® specimens from a female patient
• Male urethral swab
• Vaginal swab collected by a physician or the patient1-3

For nonurogenital specimens, see Question 2 below.

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Should I Get A Chlamydia Test

It can be a good idea to screen for chlamydia and other STIs if youâre considering having sexual intercourse with a new partner. If you believe you have been exposed to chlamydia or are experiencing symptoms , consider screening for infection by visiting a local clinicâ âor take a chlamydia test at home.

Also, according to the CDC, if you’re a sexually active woman younger than 25, you should test for chlamydia and gonorrhea at least once a year . You should also get tested yearly if you’re 25 or older and have risk factors like new or multiple sex partners. The CDC also recommends annual gonorrhea and chlamydia testing for gay and bisexual men.

Some Of The Best Home Chlamydia Tests

Below are four companies in good standing with the Better Business Bureau . The first three tests involve providing samples in a lab, so they may be more accurate. The fourth test, which involves sending in the sample, may be more convenient.

Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based.

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Chlamydia / N Gonorrhoeae Rna Tma

Includes: Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Methodology: Dual Kinetic Assay Target Capture Transcription-Mediated Amplification

This test was performed using the APTIMA® COMBO2 Assay .

Clinical Significance:C. trachomatis infections are the leading cause of sexually transmitted diseases in the United States. C. trachomatis is known to cause cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease , epididymitis and proctitis. It is also the most frequent cause of non-gonococcal urethritis in men. Among women, the consequences of Chlamydial infections are severe if left untreated. Approximately half of Chlamydial infections are asymptomatic. Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the causative agent of gonorrhea. In men, this disease generally results in anterior urethritis accompanied by purulent exudate. In women, the disease is most often found in the cervix, but the vagina and uterus may also be infected.

Alternative Name: CT/NG APTIMA®, CT/GC APTIMA®, Hologic, CT/GC TMA, CT/NG TMA

Additional Preferred Specimens Collection for Test Code 11363: 1 ml liquid cytology collected throughThinprep® Broomor Brush/Spatula0.5 ml of Surepath® preservative fluid collected using Broom or Brush/Spatula Vaginal swabs in the APTIMA® Combo 2 Assay Vaginal Swab Collection Kit

Note: Results from the APTIMA® Combo 2 Assay should be interpreted in conjunction with other laboratory and clinical data available to the clinician.

Supply: A01 – APTIMA Urine Collection

Transport temperature: Room temperature