Description: The chlamydia and gonorrhea test is used to determine if a person has been infected with either of the sexually transmitted infections. It can be used to diagnose a person with chlamydia or gonorrhea for treatment.
Also Known As: Chlamydia Trachomatis Test, Chlamydia STD Test, GC Test, Neisseria Gonorrhoeae test, Gonorrhoeae test, gonorrhea and chlamydia test
Collection Method: Urine Collection
Specimen Type: Urine
Test Preparation: Urine specimens: The patient should not have urinated for at least one hour prior to specimen collection. Female patients should not cleanse the labial area prior to providing the specimen.
When is a Chlamydia and Gonorrhea test ordered?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, all sexually active women younger than 25 and sexually active women 25 and older who are at elevated risk should have a yearly chlamydia and gonorrhea screening. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Preventive Services Task Force both urge routine screening for these women.
The CDC recommends that males who have intercourse with other men get tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia at least once a year. For sexually active, heterosexual men with no symptoms, health organizations do not advocate routine screening. When there is a large number of cases of STDs in the community, for example, healthcare providers may prescribe screening to their patients.
When a person’s sexual partner has been diagnosed with gonorrhea or chlamydia or when a person has signs and symptoms of the infection, chlamydia testing may be performed.
Women and men who have been treated for chlamydia should be tested again three months afterwards.
What does a Chlamydia and Gonorrhea urine test check for?
Chlamydia is one of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infections in the United States, and if left untreated, it can lead to serious consequences. Chlamydia testing determines whether the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis is to blame for an infection. In order to avoid long-term consequences and the spread of the infection to others, it’s critical to screen for, diagnose, and treat chlamydia.
Chlamydia infections are most common among people aged 15 to 24. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.86 million Americans contract chlamydia each year, and women are commonly re-infected if their partners do not seek treatment. Because many people don’t have any symptoms and don’t get tested and identified, the true number of cases may be larger. Despite this, each year over one million new cases are reported.
Sexual contact with an infected partner is the most common way for chlamydia to spread. Multiple sex partners, coinfection or previous infection with another STD, and not wearing a condom appropriately and consistently are also risk factors.
Many people with chlamydia infections have no symptoms, while others may only have minor ones. Because the signs and symptoms of chlamydia are similar to those of another STD, gonorrhea, and can be misinterpreted, testing for both diseases are frequently performed at the same time.
Antibiotics are commonly used to treat chlamydia. It can cause serious reproductive and other health problems if not recognized and addressed.
In women, untreated chlamydia infections that originate on the cervix but progress to the fallopian tubes and ovaries can cause pelvic inflammatory disease.
Men who are not treated may become infertile in rare cases.
If not diagnosed and treated, gonorrhea is a common bacterial sexually transmitted illness that can lead to serious consequences. Gonorrhea testing determines whether a person's infection is caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The importance of gonorrhea screening, diagnosis, and treatment in reducing long-term consequences and the spread of the infection to others cannot be overstated.
More than 820,000 people in the United States contract new gonorrheal infections each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but only about half of these infections are reported to the CDC. In the United States, sexually active teenagers, young adults, and African Americans have the highest reported rates of infection.
Sexual contact with an infected partner is the most common way for gonorrhea to spread. Multiple sex partners, coinfection or previous infection with another STD, and not wearing a condom appropriately and consistently are also risk factors.
While some males with gonorrhea will experience symptoms, the majority of women will not or will confuse gonorrhea symptoms with those of a bladder or other vaginal illness. Symptoms in men usually emerge 2 to 5 days after infection, but they can take up to 30 days. Symptoms usually appear within 10 days of infection for women. Because the signs and symptoms of gonorrhea are similar to those of another STD, chlamydia, and can be misinterpreted, testing for both diseases are sometimes performed at the same time.
Antibiotics are generally prescribed to treat gonorrhea. Gonorrhea can have catastrophic consequences if it is not recognized and treated.
Untreated gonorrhea infections in women can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which can develop days to months after infection and cause consequences.
Untreated gonorrhea can spread to the blood or joints, leading to disseminated gonococcal infection, a dangerous illness. Fever, numerous skin lesions, severe joint swelling, inflammation of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and infection of the inner lining of the heart are all signs of DGI. In infants born to infected moms, DGI symptoms include arthritis, meningitis, and sepsis, a serious, life-threatening illness.
Antibiotics identical to those used to treat simple gonorrhea might be used to successfully treat DGI. Treatment-resistant gonorrhea, on the other hand, is becoming more common. To treat all uncomplicated gonococcal infections in adults and adolescents in the United States, CDC guidelines presently recommend dual therapy with ceftriaxone and azithromycin. If a patient's symptoms do not improve following therapy, a healthcare provider may need to do additional tests, including susceptibility testing.
Lab tests often ordered with a Chlamydia and Gonorrhea test:
- HIV Antibody
- HIV Antigen
- Syphilis
- Herpes 1 and 2
Conditions where a Chlamydia and Gonorrhea test is recommended:
- Gonorrhea
- HIV
- Herpes 1 and 2
- Syphilis
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Infertility
- Vaginitis
- Vaginosis
How does my health care provider use a Chlamydia and Gonorrhea test?
Chlamydia and gonorrhea testing is used to detect, diagnose, and confirm that infections caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis have been successfully treated. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted diseases in the United States, and if left untreated, it can lead to serious consequences. To avoid long-term consequences and the spread of the infections to others, it's critical to screen for, diagnose, and treat chlamydia.
Because the illnesses produced by these two bacteria might have similar signs and symptoms, testing for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae is frequently done at the same time. Both of these bacteria can be acquired at the same time, and a person can get infected with both. Because the two infections require distinct antibiotic treatments, a clear diagnosis is critical. Testing should be done again to determine that the treatment was effective. After a person has completed therapy, this is done roughly three months later.
What do my chlamydia and gonorrhea test results mean?
A positive result indicates that you have an active infection that requires antibiotic therapy.
A negative result simply means that no infection was present at the time of the test. It is critical for those who are at a higher risk of infection to have annual screening tests to check for infection, especially since re-infection is common, especially among teenagers.
If you're infected, your sexual partner(s) should get tested and treated as well.
We advise having your results reviewed by a licensed medical healthcare professional for proper interpretation of your results.