STD AT-HOME TEST: Chlamydia/Gonorrhea-Anal

What are Chlamydia and Gonorrhea?

Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are sexually transmitted diseases affecting men and women of all ages. You can contract them by having vaginal, anal and oral sex with an infected person. Both bacterial infections involve the genitals, mouth and rectum. If the infected person is a male, he does not need to ejaculate to pass on the infection. Pregnant women who are infected with chlamydia and gonorrhea can pass the infection to their baby at birth. Most infected individuals do not show any symptoms; but, some report numerous warning signs. Chlamydia, for example, will not show any sign not until several weeks after exposure.

Both men and women can have the infection in their rectum. This could be caused by having receptive anal sex; or the result of another infected site that spread to the rectum. When the infection is in the rectum, an individual will experience rectal pain, diarrhea, swelling from the anus, discharge and bleeding. While not very well known, anal chlamydia is common. If left untreated, it could lead to a higher risk of contracting other sexual infections like HIV.

Gonorrhea’s symptoms start appearing between two and fourteen days after exposure. According to Mayo Clinic, these include anal itching, having to strain during bowel movements, having spots of red blood when cleaning after passing stool, and having rectum discharges. Anal gonorrhea is also transmitted while having unprotected anal sex. Its symptoms are rarely experienced; but still, the bacteria can easily spread and infect others. Anal Gonorrhea is usually treated with an injection of antibiotic.

The best way to prevent anal gonorrhea and chlamydia is abstinence. Sexually active individuals need to practice proper latex condoms usage, monogamy. They also need to know if their partner is infected. Aa infected person needs to stop any sexual activity until the doctor clears him or her.

Why take the at-home Chlamydia/Gonorrhea – Anal test?

Taking the anal chlamydia and gonorrhea at-home test will help screen and diagnose the presence of any of these two bacteria in the rectum. It can also help assess the spread of the infection and evaluate the treatment followed.

People who engage in unsafe anal sex, like men who have sex with men, have to be tested for anal infections. When administered at-home, the rectal swab test can be a quick and simple test that is discreet. When you normally take the ordinary genital swab tests or the urine tests, you are assessing the infection in these two areas. However, you will not know if you have the bacteria in your rectum. Detecting rectal chlamydia and gonorrhea infections is necessary to prevent serious complications.

People who are experiencing symptoms of anal chlamydia or gonorrhea infections need to get tested to understand their symptoms and treat an existing infection before it spreads.

What can cause false results?

There are no medications that can have any effects on the anal infections caused by chlamydia and gonorrhea. However, taking the test too early after exposure (not taking into consideration the incubation period of the two bacteria) will give a false negative result. In that case, if infection is suspected, you need to retake the test at the right time.

What your at-home Chlamydia/Gonorrhea – Anal test results mean?

Having a positive test for gonorrhea means that you have an active infection caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae while a negative test result marks the absence of this bacterium in the anus.

Having a positive test for chlamydia means that you have an active infection caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. A negative test result, on the other hand, marks the absence of this bacteria.

Where can I get an at-home Chlamydia/Gonorrhea – Anal test?

This test kit will be mailed to you via USPS. You will receive an anal swab, as well as other test kit materials. Please review all instructions prior to performing this test. Specimens should be shipped via USPS back to the laboratory. Results take 3 to 5 days upon receipt of the specimen by the laboratory.

ANAL TEST COLLECTION INSTRUCTIONS PDF

Reviewed By: Dr. Kurt Kloss, MD
Last Reviewed Date: May 31, 2019