Chlamydia Tests

Why It Is Done

A test for chlamydia is done to:

• See whether symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) are caused by a chlamydia infection.
• Check people who are at high risk for being infected with chlamydia. A chlamydia infection does not always cause symptoms. The 2006 Canadian Guidelines on Sexually Transmitted Infections recommend checking for chlamydia for:
  • All sexually active women age 25 or younger.
  • Women older than age 25 with high-risk sexual behaviours.
  • All pregnant women in the first trimester and again in the 3rd trimester if high-risk sexual behaviours are reported. Treating a pregnant woman who has a chlamydia infection can prevent an infection in her newborn.
• Check women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and symptoms of a cervical infection (cervicitis) found on a pelvic examination to confirm a diagnosis of chlamydia.
• Check for infection in a newborn whose mother had a chlamydia infection at the time of delivery.

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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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