How To Interpret Chlamydia Test Results
Lab test results may be positive, negative or in some case inconclusive. A positive test result means the infection is there and the person is suffering from Chlamydia infections. So the person should go for treatment as advised by the doctor. Negative test interprets bacteria is not found and he/she is normal. Sometimes it also means that bacteria are at a very low amount and impact of it is not seen. But if there will be an increment in that then only it will start impacting. Sometimes test result gives inconclusive results. It happens when test result does not clearly indicate whether it is positive or negative.
How to Conclude Chlamydia Test Result?
There is a very slight chance of false test result. NAAT accuracy result is almost 100% whereas for Chlamydia culture it is 80%. This test is very necessary to be conducted because it gives accurate results. A person should conduct this test in identified lab only and certified person should see the result. An impact of this infection is huge at later stages. So, diagnosis of this is necessary so that person does not suffer from this infection later and it is easy to curb it at earlier stages later on it becomes difficult to curb its impact.
This is how, you can read your Chlamydia Test result without any doctor guideline. However, I would suggest you to consult doctor to get proper guideline.
Originally posted 2016-08-21 15:57:40.
Other Sexually Transmitted And Blood
STBBI screening varies by age, gender/sex, medical and sexual history. Screen anyone who presents with STBBI risk factors and treat as appropriate to prevent transmission and reinfection.
People with Neisseria gonorrhoeae often have a co-infection with C. trachomatis.Footnote 20Footnote 21
Infection with C. trachomatis can increase the risk of acquisition and transmission of human immunodeficiency virus .Footnote 22Footnote 23Footnote 24
People being evaluated or treated for a chlamydia infection should be screened for:
- HIV, as per the recommendations in the HIV Screening and Testing Guide
Because of high rates of co-infection, people being evaluated or treated for LGV should be screened for:
- gonorrhea
How To Test For Chlamydia: Dna Probe
The DNA probe test or nucleic acid hybridization test might also be used and although it is not as accurate as the NAAT, it is still a reliable type of test. There are also quick tests such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or direct fluorescent antibody test which is used to detect Chlamydia antigens, substances that are released by the immune system to fight against Chlamydia infections.
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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.
How To Test For Chlamydia: Naat
The main test for a Chlamydia infection is the nucleic acid amplification test or NAAT. This test is used to detect the DNA of the Chlamydia bacterium. The NAAT test is the most accurate test for Chlamydia infections that is available. It comes with the advantage that it can be done on a urine sample.
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Some Of The Best Home Chlamydia Tests
Below, we look at some testing options for individuals to consider. People can take several of the tests at home, whereas others require a lab visit.Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based and correct at the time of publication.
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 Is Chlamydia Treated
Your healthcare practitioner will prescribe antibiotics to treat chlamydia. Antibiotics can cure your infection, but damage from the infection may sometimes be permanent. If symptoms do not resolve after a few days, consult your healthcare provider. You should refrain from having sex until you have completed your treatment and should be re-tested three months after treatment.
What To Expect From A Chlamydia Blood Test
When the body is infected by the chlamydia trachomatis bacteria, it develops antibodies called IgM antibodies that circulate in the blood. This chlamydia blood test identifies if these IgM antibodies are in the blood to determine if there is a current chlamydia infection
It should be noted that chlamydia is not a bloodborne disease. This chlamydia blood test should not be used to diagnose chlamydia infection of the urogenital area . This chlamydia test helps determine if a chlamydia infection is affecting non-genital regions of the body, for example, chlamydia trachomatis can cause conjunctivitis . If youre interested in getting tested to diagnose a chlamydia infection of the urogenital area, consider a urine chlamydia test.
A chlamydia blood test requires a blood draw from the arm. To complete this test, place your order on our website and use our lab locator to find a location that is most convenient for you. You do not need an appointmentsimply show your lab requisition form upon arriving to the lab. The results will to your HealthLabs.com account in one to three business days.
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Advantages Disadvantages And Availability Of Select C Pneumoniae Diagnostic Methods
C. pneumoniae
| Method | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
1 Acceptable specimen types vary by system.
2 Culture can be performed at CDC but is not used for routine diagnostic purposes.
3 State and local departments of public health may also offer these diagnostic tests for the detection of C. pneumoniae.
4 CF is not recommended for diagnosis of acute C. pneumoniae infection because of cross-reactivity with other Chlamydia species and other enteric bacteria. Also, the sensitivity for detecting reinfection is low. Whole-inclusion fluorescence tests are also not species-specific and have not been widely evaluated. EIA is not a recommended diagnostic method because of low sensitivity and specificity.
5 MIF is the only species-specific antibody test available that can measure isotype-specific antibody titers to all Chlamydia species simultaneously. However, MIF testing is technically complex and interpretation is subjective.
Causes Of A Positive Chlamydia Test
Certain situations can give false positive result on a blood test. Presence of antibodies against the bacteria may not always indicate a current infection. It can indicate a previous infection but cannot determine if the patient has infection at the time of the test. This may give a false positive result on the test.
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How To Read Chlamydia Test Results
Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections . Reading test results at home is easy. You just need to take care of few things while reading your result.
It is mostly seen in the USA, Canada and UK. If this infection is not treated properly then it can cause serious problems later on. Chlamydia test helps in diagnosing this infection. It occurs due to Anal Sex, oral sex, unprotected sex. Sometimes touching genital organs of partners also this transmits this infection.
Requirement of Chlamydia test:-
Home Chlamydia test use person urine or a sample of body fluid to check whether Chlamydia bacteria are present and causing infection. The best part of this test is that person does not need to undress or swab. Before giving test person is not required to fast.
What About Rectal And Oral Swabs
Rectal swabs and oral swabs may also be considered for those who have receptive anal sex or unprotected oral sex.
While neither rectal nor oral swabs are currently approved for the detection of chlamydia, research suggests that doing these extragenital tests is important.
For example, a 2017 study found that among men who have sex with men , 13% had a rectal chlamydia infection but only 3.4% had a positive urethral swab. In women in an urban setting in the United States, 3.7% were found to have an extragenital infection. Those under the age of 18 had the highest incidence of extragenital infection.
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Can Chlamydia Affect My Fertility
A chlamydia or gonorrhea infection may cause inflammation or scarring of the reproductive organs. Sometimes, this may lead to infertility . Both men and women can experience fertility problems after a chlamydia infection. Your risk of infertility increases if you delay treatment.
Women with untreated gonorrhea or chlamydia can also develop a condition known as pelvic inflammatory disease . PID sometimes causes your reproductive organs to swell, triggering chronic pelvic pain and making it difficult to conceive.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea can also trigger early laborâand pregnant women with chlamydia can spread the infection to their babies during delivery .
Prompt treatment reduces your risk of complications, as undiagnosed chlamydia may put your health at risk. Regular STI testing can help with early diagnosis of the infection, and most people who receive treatment for chlamydia make a full recovery.
Learning more about the different types of STDs someone can getâlike chlamydiaâcan help you care for your sexual health. To easily check for chlamydia from the comfort of home, simply collect a urine sample and send it to a lab with prepaid shipping using the Everlywell at-home Gonorrhea and Chlamydia test kit.
Symptoms Of A Chlamydia Infection
Chlamydia is difficult to diagnose without using an STD test for three reasons:
All Ages and Sexes
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What Happens During A Gonorrhea Test
If you are a woman, a sample may be taken from your cervix. For this procedure, you will lie on your back on an exam table, with your knees bent. You will rest your feet in supports called stirrups. Your health care provider will use a plastic or metal instrument called a speculum to open the vagina, so the cervix can be seen. Your provider will then use a soft brush or plastic spatula to collect the sample.
If you are a man, your provider may take a swab from the opening of your urethra.
For both men and women, a sample may be taken from a suspected area of infection, such as the mouth or rectum. Urine tests are also used for both men and women.
Some gonorrhea tests can be done with an at-home STD test kit. If your health care provider recommends at-home testing, be sure to follow all directions carefully.
Your health care provider may order tests for other STDs when you get a gonorrhea test. These may include tests for chlamydia, syphilis, and/or HIV.
What To Keep In Mind
A chlamydia test is one of the important procedures and every sexually active person, especially those who have multiple partners should have themselves tested. Chlamydia can lead to serious health problems if left untreated.
There are various types of sexually transmitted disease and chlamydia is one of the most common not only in the United States but in other parts of the world. Through chlamydia testing, chlamydia trachomatis a bacterium responsible for causing chlamydia can be identified.
If you test positive for chlamydia, it is not only important to begin the course of treatment but it is also important to take measures to prevent the spread of infection to other people. Avoid having a sexual contact until such time that you clear from the infection. Chlamydia can be spread through oral, vaginal, and anal sex. If you are going to make love with your partner, make sure you wear a condom so as not to spread the infection to your partner.
Be very vigilant with the signs and symptoms of chlamydia. Take extra measures to prevent contracting the infection. Unfortunately, not all people who have chlamydia exhibits the signs and symptoms. Some people confused chlamydia with other types of sexually transmitted diseases.
Which is why it is important to have yourself tested, especially if you are sexually active and has multiple partners. Being tested as soon as possible can help detect the presence of infection.
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Are Test Results Accurate
Although chlamydia testing is an important method of finding and treating this common STD, test results could be impacted by the following:
- The use of antibiotics within several days before testing
- Urinating within one hour of sample collection
- Vaginal douching within 24 hours of testing
- Improper sample collection
- Contamination of rectal samples with fecal matter
What Is The Procedure Of The Chlamydia Test
There are no special preparations required for the chlamydia test. However, it is important to inform your doctor if you are taking any kind of medication. It is also advised not to apply any vaginal creams as it may affect the test results. Normally, Menstruation does not affect the test results. So you can also take the test during your menstrual cycle.
The chlamydia test is normally done on the urine samples of the patient. It is the most effective technique to detect the infection if any. You should not urinate at least 2 hours prior to the test. Only the initial urine stream should be collected in the tube. The sample will be then sent to the laboratory for further testing.
Sometimes a swab may be used to collect the samples, such as a vaginal swab, rectal swab, urethral swab, endocervical swab, etc.
Chlamydia tests can also be done on the blood samples. But is not widely used as the results may not show the presence of chlamydia at the time of the test.
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What To Think About
- If a chlamydia infection is suspected, do not have sexual intercourse until the test results have come back. If you have a chlamydia infection, do not have sexual intercourse for 7 days after the start of treatment. Your sex partner should also be treated for a chlamydia infection so that you don’t get reinfected and so that others don’t get infected.
- Only one laboratory test is needed to diagnose chlamydia. Your doctor can choose which test to use.
- Screening for and treating chlamydia can help prevent pelvic inflammatory disease . To learn more about the treatment of a chlamydia infection, see the topic Chlamydia.
- Other sexually transmitted infections may be present at the same time as chlamydia. So it is important to be tested and treated for all STIs. Chlamydia as well as other STIs can also increase the chance of getting human immunodeficiency virus . An HIV test may be offered at the same time as a test for chlamydia or other STIs.
Isolation Of C Trachomatis In Cell Culture
Established cell lines for isolation of C. trachomatis include Mc Coy, HeLa 229 or Buffalo Green Monkey Kidney cells. Swabs from different anatomical sites are suitable specimens for culture but must be collected using special devices and transport media . Specimens were centrifuged onto confluent cell monolayer and analyzed for the development of characteristic intracytoplasmatic inclusions after 4872 h by staining with Giemsa, iodine, or fluorescence labelled antibodies to chlamydial antigens . When using MOMP-specific antibodies for staining cell culture, detection is highly specific , and thus it was long considered the reference test for CT detection. On the other hand, as culture depends on vital organisms the detection rate is at best 60%80%, even when performed in laboratories with experienced technicians . Sensitivity of culture may be impaired by inadequate specimen collection, storage and transport, toxic substances in clinical specimens and overgrowth of cell cultures by commensal microbes. Additional disadvantages are represented by the extended turn-around time, labor intensity and difficulties in standardization. Thus, cell culture is rarely used nowadays in diagnostic laboratories, but the methodology is still needed, at least in some reference laboratories, to monitor antibiotic susceptibility and changes of virulence, or when a test with the highest specificity is required as in case of suspected sexual assault.
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What Other Tests Are Ordered Along With Chlamydia Test
Anti-chlamydia antibody test is a simple blood test that detects the presence of antibodies produced against Chlamydia bacteria. However, the antibodies present could also be the result of a previous infection and may result in a false positive test. So, several other tests are often ordered along with this test to confirm the diagnosis of chlamydia infection.
Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay , Enzyme immunoassay, cell culture, nucleic acid amplification tests , detection of chlamydia by fluorescent antibody test method, and swabs samples test, are some of the tests ordered to confirm the diagnosis of the infection.
Other STD detection tests like gonorrhea, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, Trichomoniasis, and Syphilis may also be ordered as certain signs and symptoms shown by these STDs are similar and can be confusing.
Retesting for chlamydia 3 months after the treatment is recommended. Screening for Chlamydia trachomatis specific antibodies is valuable in diagnosing asymptomatic pelvic inflammatory disease and tubal block.
Chlamydia infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections and is very easy to cure and treat. Treatment often includes a course of antibiotics. If left untreated, it can lead to cervicitis, an inflammation and swelling of the cervix and may also affect fertility. People at risk of chlamydia infection are advised to undergo annual check ups to screen for chlamydia and other potential sexually transmitted infections.
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