Chlamydia & Gonorrhea

What are Chlamydia and Gonorrhea?

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease, affecting both men and women all over the world. It is a bacterial infection, transferred when having unprotected sex: anal, vaginal and oral. It affects all ages and can be easily passed from an infected person to another. The only way to prevent it is by not having sex. Other preventive measures include using a latex condom, consistently, every time you have sex; limiting the number of sex partners, getting checked regularly and avoiding douching. Gonorrhea, also, is a bacterial infection considered to be a sexually transmitted disease. It is normally spread through unprotected sex with an infected person, whether it’s oral, vaginal, or anal.

Chlamydia symptoms, very similar to the gonorrhea’s, can be numerous, ranging from an abnormal vaginal discharge, and itching as well as burning sensation in the vaginal area, to having bleeding between periods and feeling pain during sex and urination. For men, symptoms are different and consist of a cloudy discharge, burning and itching at the tip of the penis, as well as feeling some pain and swelling around the area of the testicles. While the symptoms of both STD’s are similar, the treatment plan is different.

While these chlamydia and gonorrhea infection signs can be noticeable within a couple of weeks post-infection, many people do not show any symptom. So, they will become an infection reservoir, capable of spreading the contamination in the community. It is really not very easy to identify these two infections only from their signs and symptoms. For Chlamydia, it is reported that 75% of infected women and 50% of infected men, do not show any symptoms. For Gonorrhea, 30 to 40% of women do not show symptoms. This makes these two STD’s spread more extensive and problematic.

Why take the Chlamydia and Gonorrhea test?

The Chlamydia and Gonorrhea tests are the best methods to screen and effectively diagnose an active infection. They also help monitor the effectiveness of a treatment path. If positively diagnosed, you are expected to repeat the test three months after completing the treatment. Most doctors opt for a combined test in order to have the right diagnosis and elimination tool.

For both sexually transmitted diseases, people who are at high risk of contracting any of these infections need to get tested routinely. Risk factors include being sexually active and under the age of 25 years, having numerous sex partners, not regularly using condoms, having a previous chlamydia or gonorrhea infection, being a drug addict, having a sex partner (s) who have STD, as well as being HIV positive. Men who have sex with men are also at high risk of becoming infected. Having an early diagnosis can help prevent any complications arising from these infections.

Complications caused by untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea include:

• PID (pelvic inflammatory disease): it is an infection affecting a woman’s reproductive organs. It is accompanied by a fever, pain in the lower abdomen, bleeding between periods, as well as pain during sex or urination. It can be easily treated, once diagnosed early.
• Urethritis: it is a very common indicator for both infections, in men. While many develop a symptomatic urethritis consisting of a urethral discharge along with dysuria, some men show no such symptoms.
• Epididymitis: it is not a very comment symptom; however, it is a very common complication for an untreated infection in men. It consists of unilateral testicular pain, swelling as well as epididymitis tenderness.
• having a prostate gland infection, also referred to as prostatitis: it happens when the prostate gland becomes inflamed leading to flu-like symptoms, frequent urination, as well as dysuria. It has to be diagnosed and properly treated to avoid complications like a bacterial infection, semen abnormalities and infertility in men.
• Having reactive arthritis.
• Infertility, in general.

Other complications witnessed by infected men are lymphadenitis, balanitis, urethral stricture, or fistula. To prevent these complications from arising and affecting the quality of your life, you have to be tested routinely and address the problem, effectively.

The symptoms of chlamydia infections can be very similar to those of other sexually transmitted disease, like gonorrhea. So, taking a two-test-in-one can be very efficient and effective at pinpoint the actual cause of the infection. This combined test can help make the best diagnosis possible, followed by the right treatment plan. Getting tested can, always, prevent unnecessary complications.

What can cause false results?

The incubation period of chlamydia is normally between one to five days; so, getting tested too early after a high-risk sexual encounter, may show a false negative result. Also, a positive result may reflect an old infection, in that case, we can call it a false positive since the results do not indicate an active infection.

The incubation period of gonorrhea is normally between two to six days; however it can range anywhere from one to fourteen days. So, getting tested before that time will not give accurate results. It is always recommended to get tested after the incubation period has passed to prevent a false negative test, otherwise you would be advised to take the test again.

What your Chlamydia and Gonorrhea test results mean?

Having a negative chlamydia test result means that you do not have an active chlamydia infection, at the time of the test. However, this does not imply that you will remain negative if you had high risk sex. Having a positive chlamydia test result means that you have an active infection that has to be treated by your doctor. The treatment normally consists of an antibiotic, such as the Zithromax, that should clear the infection in one to two weeks. If the chlamydia infection is severe, women might need hospitalization and an intravenous antibiotic.

Having a negative gonorrhea test results means that you do not have an active gonorrhea infection at the time of taking the test. This test is not significant for people will get engaged in risky behaviors such as having unprotected sex with multiple partners, among others. In that case, even if your test is negative, you have to repeat it after a possible infection. Having a positive gonorrhea test indicates an active gonorrhea infection. You will have to check with your doctor to address problem; and, get treated with a course of antibiotics.

Where can I get a Chlamydia and Gonorrhea test near me?

Please use our Lab Locator to find find a convenient testing location.

Reviewed By: Dr. Kurt Kloss, MD
Last Reviewed Date: Aug 12, 2022