Causes And Risk Factors
Chlamydia is an STI caused by a specific strain of bacteria known as Chlamydia trachomatis.
Chlamydia is more common in women than in men. In fact, its estimated that the overall rate of infection is for women than men in the United States.
Some of the other risk factors for infection include:
- not using barrier methods like condoms consistently with new sexual partners
- having a sexual partner who is having sex with other people
- having a history of chlamydia or other STIs
What Should I Expect During A Chlamydia Test
Your provider gives you a clean cup and asks you to urinate in it. Follow your providers instructions carefully when collecting a urine sample. Youll need to collect the urine as soon as it starts to come out .
If youre using an at-home chlamydia test, you will collect the sample yourself. Be sure to follow the instructions on the test kit carefully.
Can Chlamydia Be Dormant And Test Negative
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Can you test negative for chlamydia and still have it?
You could still have chlamydia even if a partner has tested negative. The only way to make sure you dont have chlamydia is to get tested yourself. You can have a test for chlamydia even if there are no symptoms.
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How Do You Catch Chlamydia
- Sharing sex toys that have not been washed or covered with a new condom every time they are used
Pregnant women can also pass the infection to their baby during childbirth, which means that their baby could develop an eye infection such as conjunctivitis or a lung infection like pneumonia.
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Does Getting Chlamydia Mean Your Partner Cheated
If you get Chlamydia while in a monogamous relationship, you may ask yourself, How did I get Chlamydia if I didnt cheat? You may assume your Partner had sexual relations with another person, which is possible. However, its also possible your Partner is faithful but unaware they have Chlamydia because the infection doesnt always include symptoms.
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Antibiotics Are A Highly Effective Cure For Chlamydia Infection
Antibiotics prescribed for chlamydia include:
A single oral dose of Zithromax is the most common treatment. Other drugs may be given in varying doses for a period of up to a week. Most cases of chlamydia clear up within a week after you start on antibiotics.
If you think you have been exposed to chlamydia, Stoner says, see your healthcare provider to receive antibiotic medication to prevent the onset of infection.
The partners of individuals diagnosed with chlamydia will need treatment, too, and in some states they can get it without a doctor visit through a practice called expedited partner therapy, in which the first person treated delivers the treatment to their partner or partners.
What Is The Incubation Period For Chlamydia
Unfortunately, the majority of men and women with chlamydia do not have symptoms. Therefore, they do not know they have the disease. The incubation period for chlamydia is quite variable and may range from days to months after the initial exposure. The average time from exposure to the development of symptoms is usually about one to three weeks after sexual contact with an infected person.
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How Long Can Stds Lay Dormant
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Chlamydia can lie dormant in the body for many years causing a low grade infection without symptoms. It could potentially flare up to cause a symptomatic infection, especially if there is an alteration in the persons immune system, such as a severe cold or flu, cancer or some other severe illness.
Additionally, how many years can an STD lay dormant? Chlamydia is the most common treatable STD. However, three-quarters of all women, and half of all men, with chlamydia have no STD symptoms. Half of all women with gonorrhea and 10% of men donât show symptoms either. 2? Many other STDs can also lie dormant for months oryears.
Also question is, can you have an STD for years and not know it?
You can be infected with an STD for years without knowing it. Even when STDs donât have obvious symptoms, they can still damage your body. Untreated, asymptomatic STDs can: increase your risk of infertility.
Can STDs show up years later?
It depends on which sexually transmitted infection you have. Symptoms can develop within a few days or weeks, but sometimes they do not appear until months or even years later. Often there are few or no symptoms and you may not know you have an STI.
Can I Get Trichomoniasis More Than Once
Its possible to get trich multiple times. Approximately one in five people who are treated for trich become infected again within three months. To prevent reinfection, you and your sexual partners should take anti-infective medications at the same time. After finishing treatment, you should wait a week before having sex to give the medication time to work and for symptoms to go away.
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Dont Delay Your Chlamydia Screening
At Rapid STD Testing, you will receive the answers you need concerning your body. Whether you have concerns about chlamydia, trichomoniasis, or how to test for herpes, we offer quick, confidential screenings.
If you think a recent exposure to an STD is likely, dont delay. Contact Rapid STD Testing at and explore your testing and treatment options today.
Is It Too Late To Use A Condom
Should you use a condom after you have already had unprotected sex with a partner?
There is a common misconception that if you sleep with someone with an STD, you will automatically get that STD the first time. That isnt true.
Still, people often use that belief as a reason to continue not using condoms or other forms of protection after theyve slipped up. After all, they rationalize, if I was really at risk from this person, then Im already in trouble. Fortunately, however, that isnt true.
Its certainly best to practice safer sex every single time you have sex. However, messing up once doesnt mean that you cant go back to doing it right.
Its always worth using a condom the next time you have sex even if you didnt this time. Just because someone has an STD, it doesnt mean their partners will automatically get it.
Penile discharge can be a symptom of any of a number of common STDs. The only way to tell which one you have, or if you have an STD at all, is to go visit your local healthcare provider or a free clinic and get tested.
There is no way for someone to diagnose what STD is causing a discharge without doing laboratory tests. Dont worry, though. These days, that mostly means giving a urine or blood sample. You probably wont need to undergo a urethral swab.
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How Can You Get Rid Of Chlamydia
If your chlamydia test comes back positive, you may be wondering how to get chlamydia treated. Itâs important to discuss treatment options with your healthcare provider. Most likely, you will be treated for chlamydia with oral antibiotics. With treatment, infections often clear up in one to two weeks.
Even if your symptoms resolve sooner, however, itâs very important to complete your healthcare providerâs entire course of prescribed antibiotics. Otherwise, the infection may not be completely eliminated and you could be at risk for reinfection. You could also still pass chlamydia to a partner if you donât complete the recommended course of antibiotics.
Finally, as part of your treatment for chlamydia, connect with any sexual partners you may have unintentionally exposed to this infection. Your healthcare provider may also recommend antibiotics for your partner. This is a key part of chlamydia treatment, since it can help prevent reinfection when you resume sexual intercourse.
Chlamydia is a potentially harmful infection, but fortunately, itâs easy to test for. Itâs also simple to treat when you have a confirmed diagnosis. The important thing is stay informed and know your statusâsomething you can do from the privacy and comfort of home with our STD Test for women.
References
1. Overview: Chlamydia. National Health Service. URL. Accessed March 27, 2020.
2. Chlamydia CDC Fact Sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. URL. Accessed March 27, 2020.
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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How Does Chlamydia Spread
Chlamydia is spread when a person has unprotected sex with an infected person.
Because chlamydial infection often has no symptoms, many people do not realise they have the infection.
Even if you know a person well, you may not be able to tell they have an STI, because people can look healthy and still have chlamydia.
Remember, you can get chlamydia and other STIs from a new sexual partner who has in the past had sex with someone who is infected.
It can also be spread from a long-term partner who has had sex with other people.
When Should I Call My Doctor About A Chlamydia Test
A note from Cleveland Clinic
A chlamydia test is essential to limiting the spread of this sexually transmitted infection. Its especially important to get screened for chlamydia regularly if youre at a higher risk of this STI. Untreated, the infection can cause health problems and you can spread it to your partner. While youre waiting for results and during treatment, avoid having sex. Wait until your provider says its safe to have sex again. Be sure to use a condom and practice safe sex to avoid getting an STI.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 01/28/2022.
References
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How Is It Diagnosed
Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms and your sexual history. You may also have a physical exam to look for signs of infection.
Chlamydia can cause serious problems but may not cause symptoms. That’s why it’s a good idea to get tested once a year if you are at higher risk for getting chlamydia. Talk to your doctor about what testing is right for you.
Can You Tell How Long Youve Had Chlamydia
Is it possible to tell how long I ve had chlamydia? Not usually, because chlamydia often doesnt cause any symptoms. This means you can have the infection without knowing you could have had it for months or even years. Depending on how many people you ve had sex with, it can be hard to trace it to one person.
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Do I Need To Use Condoms During My Period
Yes, if you want to avoid pregnancy and STIs. Itâs possible to get pregnant during your period, although the day-specific risk is variable and depends on your cycle, age, and health.
Clueâs 2018 study with the Kinsey Instituteâs Condom Use Research Team found that condoms are used less often during menstruation. It is important to use condoms or a barrier during period sex because many STIs can be transmitted through blood. Using a condom for period sex can prevent pregnancy and protect against STI transmission.
Can You Find Chlamydia In A Urine Test
Currently, urine testing is mostly used to identify bacterial STDs. Urine tests for Chlamydia and gonorrhea are readily accessible. Urine tests for trichomoniasis are also available, although they are less prevalent. Bacterial culture used to be the gold standard for diagnosing bacterial STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea. However, this method is time-consuming and expensive. Modern methods such as nucleic acid amplification can detect chlamydia and gonorrhea rapidly and accurately. These tests may be used in place of or in combination with traditional methods.
In general, yes, you can find chlamydia in a urine sample. The virus that causes chlamydia is found in the urine, too. It is important to remember that most people have chlamydia without knowing it. A person can be infected with chlamydia but not show any signs or symptoms.
Finding chlamydia in your urine does not necessarily mean that you will develop complications from it. Only about 10% of people who are infected with chlamydia will develop serious health problems. Infection with chlamydia can lead to epididymitis , infertility, chronic pelvic pain, and rectal pain and bleeding. However, even if you do develop these complications, treatment should still be able to cure you.
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What Other Sexual Activities Can Transmit An Sti
To be very clear, STIs arent weeds: They dont simply sprout up out of nowhere.
For an STI to be transmitted, someone must be doing the transmitting. And for someone to do the transmitting, they must be STI-positive.
According to Gersh, depending on what the STI is and where its located, an STI could be transmitted during any sexual activity that involves the following:
- the mouth, lips, throat, or saliva
- blood or breast milk
That means that, in theory, an STI can be transmitted during any of the following sex acts:
However, most of the fearmongering around nonsexual STI transmissions for instance, that you can get an STI from a toilet seat, hot tub, or public pool is *not* based in science under most conditions.
STIs generally cannot exist outside the homeyness of the bodys mucosal membranes for very long. And all the chemicals in pools and hot tubs kill off any infectious agents.
How Often Should I Get Checked For Chlamydia
Sexual health check-ups are recommended for anyone who is sexually active. Frequency of testing also depends on your STI risk:
- An annual sexual health check-up is highly recommended if you are sexually active especially if you are under 25.
- Get checked more often during the year if you frequently change sexual partners.
- Remember, you are at greater risk if you have sex without a condom with 1 or multiple sexual partners.
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Infant Pneumonia Caused By C Trachomatis
Chlamydial pneumonia among infants typically occurs at age 13 months and is a subacute pneumonia. Characteristic signs of chlamydial pneumonia among infants include a repetitive staccato cough with tachypnea and hyperinflation and bilateral diffuse infiltrates on a chest radiograph. In addition, peripheral eosinophilia occurs frequently. Because clinical presentations differ, all infants aged 13 months suspected of having pneumonia, especially those whose mothers have a history of, are at risk for , or suspected of having a chlamydial infection should be tested for C. trachomatis and treated if infected.
Diagnostic Considerations
Specimens for chlamydial testing should be collected from the nasopharynx. Tissue culture is the definitive standard diagnostic test for chlamydial pneumonia. Nonculture tests can be used. DFA is the only nonculture FDA-cleared test for detecting C. trachomatis from nasopharyngeal specimens however, DFA of nasopharyngeal specimens has a lower sensitivity and specificity than culture. NAATs are not cleared by FDA for detecting chlamydia from nasopharyngeal specimens, and clinical laboratories should verify the procedure according to CLIA regulations . Tracheal aspirates and lung biopsy specimens, if collected, should be tested for C. trachomatis.
Treatment
Erythromycin base or ethylsuccinate 50 mg/kg body weight/day orally divided into 4 doses daily for 14 days
Azithromycin suspension 20 mg/kg body weight/day orally, 1 dose daily for 3 days
Chlamydia Can Be Prevented
The most effective way to avoid getting a sexually transmitted infection is to not have sex. However, if you wish to have sexual contact, you can reduce your risk of infection with these actions:
- Minimizing the number of partners with whom you have intimate contact
- Asking your partners to get screened for STDs before engaging in sexual activity
- Always using latex condoms when having intercourse of any kind
Additional reporting by Ingrid Strauch.
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Chlamydia Can Be Treated And Cured With Antibiotics
Individuals diagnosed with chlamydia should abstain from sexual activity for one week after finishing antibiotics. Keep in mind that it is possible to become reinfected with chlamydia after receiving treatment. This is why it is crucial for partners of those who have chlamydia to also get tested and treated if found positive. Chlamydia often occurs along with gonorrhea . If you have one of these STDs, you might have the other because the risk factors and symptoms are very similar. Getting tested for both is important.
Whether or not symptoms are present, testing or screening for chlamydia can be done as early as 24 hours after exposure. The incubation times vary from person-to-person for the most accurate results, get tested two weeks after initial exposure. If you test positive for chlamydia, it is advised to get retested two weeks after completing treatment to be sure that all of the Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria is cleared from your system.
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 the doses before having sex.
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