Chlamydia Tests

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 you do not get reinfected and so others do not get infected.
• Only one laboratory test (NAAT, ELISA, DFA, DNA probe testing, or chlamydia culture) is needed to diagnose chlamydia. Your health professional can choose which test to use.
• Your health professional is required to report your chlamydia infection to the provincial health department so the department can contact your sex partners to inform them that they also need treatment.
• Screening for and treating chlamydia can help prevent developing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). For more information on 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 (HIV). An HIV test may be offered at the same time as a test for chlamydia or other STIs.

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Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: March 9, 2007
Medical Review:	Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH - Infectious Disease Donald Sproule, MD, CM, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine
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