How Is Chlamydia Diagnosed
Diagnose chlamydia with nucleic acid amplification tests , cell culture, and other types of tests. NAATs are the most sensitive tests to use on easy-to-obtain specimens. This includes vaginal swabs or urine.43
To diagnose genital chlamydia in women using a NAAT, vaginal swabs are the optimal specimen. Urine is the specimen of choice for men. Urine is an effective alternative specimen type for women.43 Self-collected vaginal swab specimens perform as well as other approved specimens using NAATs.44 Patients may prefer self-collected vaginal swabs or urine-based screening to more invasive specimen collection.45 Adolescent girls may be good candidates for self-collected vaginal swab- or urine-based screening.
Diagnose rectal or pharyngeal infection by testing at the anatomic exposure site. While useful for these specimens, culture is not widely available. Additionally, NAATs have better sensitivity and specificity compared with culture for detecting C. trachomatis at non-genital sites.46-48 Most tests, including NAATs, are not FDA-cleared for use with rectal or pharyngeal swab specimens. NAATs have better sensitivity and specificity compared with culture for the detection of C. trachomatis at rectal sites.46-48 However, some laboratories have met set requirements and have validated NAAT testing on rectal and pharyngeal swab specimens.
Do I Need To Get Tested For Chlamydia
- If you are 24 or younger and have sex, you need to get tested for chlamydia.3 Chlamydia is most common in women between 15 and 24 years old.2 You need to get tested if you have had any symptoms of chlamydia since your last negative test result or if your sex partner has chlamydia.
- If you are older than 24, you need to get tested if, in the past year or since your last test, you:3
- Had a new sex partner
- Had your sex partner tell you they have chlamydia
- Traded sex for money or drugs
- Have had chlamydia or another STI in the past
- Did not use condoms during sex and are in a relationship that is not monogamous, meaning you or your partner has sex with other people
You also need to be tested if you are pregnant or if you have any symptoms of chlamydia.
Chlamydia And Gonorrhea: How To Know The Difference
04.Feb.2021
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are arguably some of the most common, and well known, sexually transmitted infections worldwide. As a matter of fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention refer to both of these infections as two nationally notifiable STIs .
Occasionally mistaken for one another, chlamydia and gonorrhea have similar symptoms and signs, and can even cause some similar side effects when left untreated. In saying that, both chlamydia and gonorrhea are individual infections, with a variety of distinct differences â each of which is worth knowing more about.
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When Can I Have Sex Again
If you were diagnosed with chlamydia, wait to have sex again until you have finished your treatment.
For some antibiotics, such as doxycycline, this means may need to wait 1 week to have sex, or until you have completed your prescribed course of treatment.
If you were prescribed a single dose of medication, like azithromycin, wait 7 days after taking the medication before having sex.
Can Chlamydia Be Cured
Yes, chlamydia can be cured with the right treatment. It is important that you take all of the medication your doctor prescribes to cure your infection. When taken properly it will stop the infection and could decrease your chances of having complications later on. You should not share medication for chlamydia with anyone.
Repeat infection with chlamydia is common. You should be tested again about three months after you are treated, even if your sex partner was treated.
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Chlamydia Is Caused By Sexually Transmitted Bacteria
The bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis causes chlamydia infection, which usually occurs in the genital tract, so the cervix in women and the penis in men. In both women and men, the bacteria may also infect the rectum and the throat.
“Infections are spread during any kind of sexual activity: vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse,” says Jonathan Schaffir, MD, an ob-gyn at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
Chlamydia trachomatis can also cause conjunctivitis if the bacteria come into contact with the eyelids or the clear membrane covering the white of the eye.
Because chlamydia infections often cause no symptoms, individuals who have one may not seek medical attention or get treated for it. However, anyone who is infected with chlamydia can pass it to other people, who can, in turn, pass it to others.
What Will The Results Show
The results will state either âdetectedâ or ânot detected.â If your results say ânot detected,â then you have not been infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea. If your results say âdetected,â that means that you had a positive result for the test and will be able to discuss treatment options with one of the physicians that we work with. You will not be charged anything extra to speak with a physicianâthat consultation is included with test.
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What Does Chlamydia Do To Your Body
Although chlamydia doesnt usually cause any symptoms, it can be serious if you dont get treatment early on.
The bacteria can spread to your fallopian tubes and uterus. If this happens, it might cause pelvic inflammatory disease which results in abdominal and pelvic pain. Even if PID does not cause abdominal and pelvic pain, it can still do permanent damage to your reproductive system. PID can lead to an inability to get pregnant, long-term pelvic pain, and ectopic pregnancy.
How Can I Protect Myself From Chlamydia
The only way to avoid getting chlamydia is to abstain from having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has a chlamydia infection. And be sure that sex toys that carry the bacteria dont come in contact with your genitals.
Its not always possible to know if a current or potential partner has chlamydia, though, especially since many people with chlamydia never notice symptoms. With prevention in mind, its a good idea to make safer sex practices a regular part of your sex life:
- Use condoms during intercourse, anal sex and oral sex.
- Use dental dams during oral sex or vagina-to-vagina contact.
- Dont share sex toys, but if you do, wash them after each use and cover toys used for penetration with a condom.
- Have sex with only one partner, who only has sex with you.
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Recognizing Symptoms Of Chlamydia In The Genital Region
What Health Problems Can Result From Chlamydia
The initial damage that chlamydia causes is often unnoticed. However, infections can lead to serious health problems with both short- and long-term effects.
If a woman does not receive treatment, chlamydia can spread into the uterus or fallopian tubes, causing PID. Symptomatic PID occurs in about 10-15% of women who do not receive treatment.30,31 However, chlamydia can also cause subclinical inflammation of the upper genital tract . Both acute and subclinical PID can cause long-term damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues. The damage can lead to chronic pelvic pain, tubal factor infertility, and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy.32,33
Some patients with PID develop perihepatitis, or Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome. This syndrome includes inflammation of the liver capsule and surrounding peritoneum, which can cause right upper quadrant pain.
In pregnant people, untreated chlamydia can lead to pre-term delivery,34 ophthalmia neonatorum , and pneumonia in the newborn.
Reactive arthritis can occur in men and women, following infection with or without symptoms. This is sometimes part of a triad of symptoms formerly referred to as Reiters Syndrome.35
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What Happens If You Have Chlamydia For Too Long
The long-term complications that can result from chlamydia include:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease, in people with vaginas: The infection could spread upward through your reproductive system and cause permanent damage to your uterus or fallopian tubes. Apart from being very painful, pelvic inflammatory disease can also make it difficult for you to conceive, or result in pregnancies outside the womb, which can be life-threatening. Chlamydia doesn’t usually cause infertility in people with penises.
- Pregnancy complications, if you are already pregnant: Chlamydia could cause your baby to arrive early. It could also cause pneumonia and conjunctivitis in your newborn.
- HIV: Having chlamydia can raise your risk of getting HIV.
- Reactive arthritis: The chlamydia infection can trigger an arthritic reaction in your body.
It’s important to note that while antibiotic medication can treat the infection and its symptoms, it cannot undo any of the other damage the infection has caused.
Who Does Chlamydia Affect
Anyone whos sexually active can get chlamydia. The bacteria that causes chlamydia gets transmitted through vaginal fluid and semen, which means that people of all genders who have sex can become infected with chlamydia and infect their partners, too. If youre pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass it on to your newborn.
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Chlamydia Cdc Fact Sheet
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease that can be easily cured. If left untreated, chlamydia can make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant.
Basic Fact Sheet | Detailed Version
Basic fact sheets are presented in plain language for individuals with general questions about sexually transmitted diseases. The content here can be syndicated .
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Can You Get Chlamydia From Drinking After Someone
The belief that you can catch chlamydia from drinking after someone is a myth. In reality, theres no risk of catching the infection when sharing food, water, or cutlery.
You can only catch chlamydia during:
- Unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
- Sharing sex toys.
- Contact with the genitals of an infected partner.
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Can Chlamydia Turn Into Gonorrhea
No, chlamydia on its own cannot turn into gonorrhea as they are caused by two different bacteria.
It does happen that people contract and carry both chlamydia and gonorrhea bacteria, so you can have them at the same time. Also, having one increases your likelihood of contracting another thus, it is always important to be treated for both.
How Does My Doctor Diagnose Chlamydia
Urine test
You can provide a urine sample to your doctor. A chlamydia infection shows up in your urine.
Swab test
Your doctor swabs the area of concern. They test the fluid from your vagina, rectum, or throat for chlamydia. Keep in mind that a chlamydia infection does not show up on a pap smear.
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Can Gonorrhea Lay Dormant In The Body
Yes, gonorrhea can lay dormant. A person can be infected with the bacterium but never develops symptoms that are noticeable. It is because most of the sexually transmitted infections, whether viral or bacterial, do not cause symptoms and can lie dormant for a few years before manifesting symptoms. Gonorrhea can lay dormant for up to a year. The majority of the females infected with gonorrhea are asymptomatic and up to 50% of the males infected with the bacterium have either very minor symptoms or no symptoms at all.
Question: How long could you have gonorrhea and not know about it? I believe my last partner ago give it to me around 9 months.
Answer: It is difficult to know the exact time from when the person had gonorrhea, particularly because it is so common to be asymptomatic. If you have a doubt, it is advised to visit a physician and get yourself tested for STIs. Many times, symptoms do dont develop for a month and you may not notice it until it spreads to other parts of body.
How Long Do They Last
If you have noticed chlamydia symptoms, you should get tested and treated as soon as possible.
Once chlamydia treatment has begun, you should start to notice an improvement in your symptoms within a few days. Generally, most symptoms should go completely within 2 to 4 weeks.
If symptoms continue to get worse or do not show signs of improvement after 1 week, visit your local sexual health clinic for advice.
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So How Does Someone Get Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea
The bacteria that cause chlamydia or gonorrhea can spread very easily through any type of sexual contact The tricky thing is that a lot of people dont know they have an STI, at least in the first few weeks. a hidden epidemic). In the meantime, an infected person can unintentionally get someone else sick. Condoms may help reduce that risk, but they are not 100% effective, even when used correctly. The only way to protect oneself against these STIs is to either abstain from any sexual activity or to be in a long-term, trusted, and monogamous relationship such as marriage.
Most Effective Home Based Remedies For Chlamydia
There are so many effective home based remedies that can be used for the complete treatment of Chlamydia
some of these are listed as below:
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I Was Treated For Chlamydia When Can I Have Sex Again
You should not have sex again until you and your sex partner have completed treatment. If your doctor prescribes a single dose of medication, you should wait seven days after taking the medicine before having sex. If your doctor prescribes a medicine for you to take for seven days, you should wait until you have taken all of the doses before having sex.
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First How Can Untreated Chlamydia Affect Your Health
Untreated chlamydia is especially problematic for people with uteruses, because it can have very serious consequences on reproductive health. For one, it can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease , an infection of the reproductive organs, David Soper, M.D., director of the division of benign ob-gyn and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Medical University of South Carolina, tells SELF. When it comes to the numbers, he says the condition affects about 10 to 15% of people assigned female at birth with untreated chlamydia.
Some people who develop PID from chlamydia then go on to develop an even more serious issue called perihepatitis or Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome. While rare, this causes inflammation in the lining of the stomach and tissues surrounding the liver. One tip-off that you do have this condition is upper quadrant pain, Dr. Soper says. Its often paired with other symptoms like fever or chills.
Infertility is another concern. Both PID and untreated chlamydia can cause permanent scarring in the reproductive organs, blocking sperm and eggs from meeting. In fact, about 25% of infertility cases are due to obstructed fallopian tubes, Meike L. Uhler, M.D., a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at the Fertility Centers of Illinois, tells SELF. In some cases, this can be fixed surgically, but not always.
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How Do I Know If I Have Chlamydia
If you suspect you have chlamydia, your doctor may want to test cervical or penile discharge or urine using one of several available methods.
In most cases of chlamydia, the cure rate is 95%. However, because many women don’t know they have the disease until it has caused serious complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease, sexually active women under age 25 and others at higher risk should be tested for chlamydia once a year during their annual pelvic exam even if they dont have symptoms.
Pregnant women should also be tested as part of their routine lab work.