Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can cause an infection in someone’s genitals, rectum, and/or throat. Some people may have no symptoms at all, or symptoms may occur several weeks after sexual contact with someone with chlamydia.

Untreated chlamydia can seriously affect a woman’s reproductive system, leading to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can lead to infertility and ectopic pregnancy. In pregnancy, it may lead to premature delivery, or spread to the newborn during delivery.

In men, untreated chlamydia damages the sperm, leading to the inability to impregnate a partner. 

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can affect a person’s genitals, rectum, and/or throat. Like chlamydia, people may not know they have it. In women, symptoms are often mild and might be mistaken for a UTI or vaginal infection.

In both men and women, untreated gonorrhea is more likely to lead to infertility than chlamydia.

A person may have chlamydia and gonorrhea separately or at the same time, so it is more effective to test for both at once.

Primary.Health Medical offers two test kits to screen for chlamydia and gonorrhea: a single-site urine test and a 3-site test.

This is the 3-site test kit which tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea in the genitals (penis or vagina), mouth, and anus.

Primary.Health Medical’s Chlamydia and Gonorrhea (CT/GC) 3-site test kit is designed for adults 18 years and older who have penetrative (intercourse) and non-penetrative (outercourse) vaginal, penile, anal, and/or oral sex.

The Primary.Health Medical Chlamydia and Gonorrhea (CT/GC) 3-site test kit comes with everything you need, including instructions on how to collect a sample and send back your kit. This kit includes a test tube to send a small amount of urine (pee), an rectal swab to collect a rectal sample, and an oral swab to collect a sample from your throat.

Before you take this test, please do not urinate for 1 hour. If you can take this test first thing when you wake up in the morning, that is best.

The rectal swab only needs to be inserted into the anus 1-2 inches, or 3-5 centimeters for about 10 seconds. It may feel uncomfortable to some people.

The tip of the oral swab needs to be rubbed in the back of your throat for 10 seconds. Some people may find this uncomfortable.  

Yes, you may collect a urine, oral, or rectal sample to do this test while on your period.

No, please do not urinate for 1 hour (60 minutes) before you take the test.

The samples that you send in depend on the types of sex you have and the body parts you use during sex. 

If you had genital intercourse (penile-vaginal sex), you just need to send in a urine sample. If you only had this type of sex, you may want to consider ordering our Chlamydia and Gonorrhea (CT/GC) single-site urine test kit instead.  

If you had anal sex (receptive anal sex), then please collect a rectal sample, as gonorrhea and chlamydia can affect both the genitals and the rectum.

If you performed oral sex on someone’s genitals or anus, then include an oral sample, since gonorrhea and chlamydia can affect the throat.

If you had all the types of sex listed above, please send in a urine sample, along with a rectal and oral sample.

In general, everyone sexually active should get screened for chlamydia and gonorrhea once a year.  

Both men and women may want to screen more often, depending on how often they have sex and with whom. It is recommended that people with new or multiple partners get screened more often than once a year. 

Couples that are trying to become pregnant should ask their provider when to get tested. Pregnant women should also talk to their provider about when to get tested.

The test sensitivity for the chlamydia and gonorrhea urine test is 100%. This means that the test will detect a chlamydia or gonorrhea infection in the genitals 100% of the time.

Symptoms of chlamydia: 

Many people do not show symptoms. If people do have symptoms:

Women may experience:

• Irregular vaginal discharge
• Pain or a burning feeling when urinating
• Bleeding after sex
• Bleeding in between periods

Men may experience:

• Discharge from the penis
• Pain or a burning feeling when urinating
• Testicular pain

Symptoms of gonorrhea:

Many people do not show symptoms. However if symptoms do occur:

Women may experience:

• Irregular vaginal discharge
• Pain when urinating
• Discomfort in the lower stomach
• Bleeding from the vagina after sex or in between periods

Men may experience:

• Pain when urinating
• Pus-like discharge from the penis
• Pain or swelling in one testicle 

In men and women who may have oral gonorrhea:

• Throat infections
• Mild sore throat
• Inflammation in the back of the throat

In men and women who may have anal gonorrhea: 

• Rectal and anal pain
• Rectal and anal discharge

Yes, it is possible to have both chlamydia and gonorrhea at the same time.

Yes, it is possible to treat both chlamydia and gonorrhea at the same time with antibiotics. If you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, or both, our clinical team can recommend proper treatment.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are transmitted through sexual activities. You can get either STD by having vaginal, anal, penile, or oral sex with someone with chlamydia or gonorrhea. Chlamydia may also be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact during sex, or if sperm or vaginal fluid come in contact with someone’s eye during sex. 

Chlamydia and gonorrhea may also be transmitted to a newborn during childbirth.

The best way to protect yourself from chlamydia and gonorrhea is to practice safer sex, get tested, and communicate with your partner(s).