{"id":8452,"date":"2025-02-22T13:56:35","date_gmt":"2025-02-22T11:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/?p=8452"},"modified":"2026-05-27T11:55:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T08:55:48","slug":"chlamydia-test-diagnostic-methods-preparation-and-decoding-of-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/chlamydia-test-diagnostic-methods-preparation-and-decoding-of-results\/","title":{"rendered":"Chlamydia test: diagnostic methods, preparation and interpretation of results"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 data-start=\"85\" data-end=\"146\"><strong data-start=\"88\" data-end=\"144\">What is chlamydia and why is it important to get tested?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"148\" data-end=\"389\">Chlamydia is one of the most common <a href=\"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/diagnostics-of-venereal-diseases-methods-of-preparation-for-analysis-and-decoding-of-results\/\">infections<\/a>, which are sexually transmitted. The causative agent of the disease is a bacterium <em data-start=\"259\" data-end=\"282\">Chlamydia trachomatis<\/em>, which can remain in the body for a long time without symptoms, but at the same time cause serious complications.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"391\" data-end=\"588\">Without treatment, chlamydia can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease in women, prostatitis in men, and increase the risk of contracting other infections, including HIV.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"590\" data-end=\"632\"><strong data-start=\"593\" data-end=\"630\">When should you give up? <a href=\"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/price\/?3325_search_1=%D1%85%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BC%D1%96%D0%B4%D1%96&amp;3325_device=laptop&amp;3325_orderby=relevance&amp;3325_paged=1&amp;3325_filtered=true\">chlamydia test<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"634\" data-end=\"675\">It is recommended to get tested if:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"677\" data-end=\"992\">\n<li data-start=\"677\" data-end=\"713\">had unprotected sexual intercourse<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"714\" data-end=\"824\">symptoms appeared: burning sensation when urinating, pain in the lower abdomen, discharge from the vagina or urethra<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"825\" data-end=\"884\">the doctor suspected inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"885\" data-end=\"931\">planning a pregnancy or already pregnant<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"932\" data-end=\"992\">had contact with a partner who was diagnosed with chlamydia<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"994\" data-end=\"1153\">Because chlamydia is often asymptomatic, regular testing is recommended for all sexually active people, especially those with multiple partners.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"1155\" data-end=\"1193\"><strong data-start=\"1158\" data-end=\"1191\">Methods for diagnosing chlamydia<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1195\" data-end=\"1262\">Various laboratory methods are used to detect infection.<\/p>\n<div class=\"overflow-x-auto contain-inline-size\">\n<table data-start=\"1264\" data-end=\"2022\">\n<thead data-start=\"1264\" data-end=\"1341\">\n<tr data-start=\"1264\" data-end=\"1341\">\n<th data-start=\"1264\" data-end=\"1287\"><strong data-start=\"1266\" data-end=\"1286\">Testing method<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"1287\" data-end=\"1308\"><strong data-start=\"1289\" data-end=\"1307\">How is it done?<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"1308\" data-end=\"1323\"><strong data-start=\"1310\" data-end=\"1322\">Advantages<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"1323\" data-end=\"1341\"><strong data-start=\"1325\" data-end=\"1337\">Disadvantages<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody data-start=\"1414\" data-end=\"2022\">\n<tr data-start=\"1414\" data-end=\"1578\">\n<td><strong data-start=\"1416\" data-end=\"1455\">Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Chlamydia DNA swab or urine test<\/td>\n<td>High accuracy, detects even small concentrations of bacteria<\/td>\n<td>High cost<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1579\" data-end=\"1742\">\n<td><strong data-start=\"1581\" data-end=\"1613\">Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Blood test for antibodies to chlamydia<\/td>\n<td>Determines acute or chronic infection<\/td>\n<td>Not always suitable for early diagnosis<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1743\" data-end=\"1904\">\n<td><strong data-start=\"1745\" data-end=\"1771\">Bacteriological culture<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Growing chlamydia in the laboratory<\/td>\n<td>Allows you to determine sensitivity to antibiotics<\/td>\n<td>Long time to get results<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1905\" data-end=\"2022\">\n<td><strong data-start=\"1907\" data-end=\"1923\">Express test<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>At-home smear or urine analysis<\/td>\n<td>Quick result<\/td>\n<td>Less accurate compared to PCR<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<h2 data-start=\"2024\" data-end=\"2070\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8454\" src=\"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/lab-doctor-performing-medical-exam-urine-3.jpg\" alt=\"Symptoms of chlamydia\" width=\"1200\" height=\"857\" srcset=\"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/lab-doctor-performing-medical-exam-urine-3.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/lab-doctor-performing-medical-exam-urine-3-150x107.jpg 150w, https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/lab-doctor-performing-medical-exam-urine-3-600x429.jpg 600w, https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/lab-doctor-performing-medical-exam-urine-3-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/lab-doctor-performing-medical-exam-urine-3-1024x731.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/lab-doctor-performing-medical-exam-urine-3-768x548.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/h2>\n<h2 data-start=\"2024\" data-end=\"2070\"><strong data-start=\"2027\" data-end=\"2068\">How to prepare for a chlamydia test<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"2072\" data-end=\"2156\">To get accurate results, <a href=\"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/before-you-pass-the-analysis-you-need-to-know\/\" title=\"Before taking the tests, you need to know\"  data-wpil-monitor-id=\"416\">it is necessary to properly prepare for the analysis<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2158\" data-end=\"2450\">\n<li data-start=\"2158\" data-end=\"2218\">before the smear test <strong data-start=\"2184\" data-end=\"2216\">not urinating for 2 hours<\/strong><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2219\" data-end=\"2286\">avoid using vaginal suppositories or creams for 24 hours<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2287\" data-end=\"2329\">Avoid sexual contact for 48 hours<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2330\" data-end=\"2387\">when taking a blood test \u2013 do not eat 8 hours before the test<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2388\" data-end=\"2450\">not taking antibiotics before testing, if possible<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2452\" data-end=\"2546\">In women, a smear is not taken during menstruation, so you should agree on the day of testing with your doctor.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"2548\" data-end=\"2592\"><strong data-start=\"2551\" data-end=\"2590\">How is chlamydia testing done?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3 data-start=\"2594\" data-end=\"2635\"><strong data-start=\"2598\" data-end=\"2633\">Urogenital tract swab<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2636\" data-end=\"2787\">In women, the sample is taken from the vagina or cervix, and in men, from the urethra. The procedure can be uncomfortable, but it only takes a few seconds.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"2789\" data-end=\"2810\"><strong data-start=\"2793\" data-end=\"2808\">Urine analysis<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2811\" data-end=\"2910\">The test uses the first portion of morning urine, which contains the highest concentration of bacteria.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"2912\" data-end=\"2934\"><strong data-start=\"2916\" data-end=\"2932\">Blood test<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2935\" data-end=\"3040\">Allows you to detect antibodies to chlamydia, which helps determine the stage of the disease (acute or chronic).<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"3042\" data-end=\"3082\"><strong data-start=\"3045\" data-end=\"3080\">Decoding the analysis results<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div class=\"overflow-x-auto contain-inline-size\">\n<table data-start=\"3084\" data-end=\"3393\">\n<thead data-start=\"3084\" data-end=\"3138\">\n<tr data-start=\"3084\" data-end=\"3138\">\n<th data-start=\"3084\" data-end=\"3102\"><strong data-start=\"3086\" data-end=\"3101\">Analysis type<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"3102\" data-end=\"3118\"><strong data-start=\"3104\" data-end=\"3117\">Result<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"3118\" data-end=\"3138\"><strong data-start=\"3120\" data-end=\"3134\">What does it mean?<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody data-start=\"3192\" data-end=\"3393\">\n<tr data-start=\"3192\" data-end=\"3235\">\n<td>PCR<\/td>\n<td>Positive<\/td>\n<td>Presence of chlamydia<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"3236\" data-end=\"3281\">\n<td>PCR<\/td>\n<td>Negative<\/td>\n<td>Absence of chlamydia<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"3282\" data-end=\"3329\">\n<td>ELISA (IgM)<\/td>\n<td>Positive<\/td>\n<td>Acute infection<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"3330\" data-end=\"3393\">\n<td>ELISA (IgG)<\/td>\n<td>Positive<\/td>\n<td>Chronic or past infection<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p data-start=\"3395\" data-end=\"3517\">If the test is positive, the doctor will order additional tests to rule out concomitant infections and develop a treatment plan.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"3519\" data-end=\"3550\"><strong data-start=\"3522\" data-end=\"3548\">How is chlamydia treated?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"3552\" data-end=\"3636\">Treatment for chlamydia is based on the use of antibiotics. The most common ones are:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3638\" data-end=\"3791\">\n<li data-start=\"3638\" data-end=\"3694\"><strong data-start=\"3640\" data-end=\"3655\">Azithromycin<\/strong> \u2013 single dose or course of treatment<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3695\" data-end=\"3733\"><strong data-start=\"3697\" data-end=\"3712\">Doxycycline<\/strong> \u2013 7-14-day course<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3734\" data-end=\"3791\"><strong data-start=\"3736\" data-end=\"3763\">Erythromycin, Josamycin<\/strong> \u2013 alternative drugs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"3793\" data-end=\"4025\">During treatment, it is necessary to refrain from sexual contact and be sure to inform your partner about the need for testing. It is recommended to re-take the test 3-4 weeks after therapy to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"4027\" data-end=\"4079\"><strong data-start=\"4030\" data-end=\"4077\">Why is it important to diagnose chlamydia on time?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"4081\" data-end=\"4153\">If the infection is left untreated, it can lead to serious consequences:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"4155\" data-end=\"4364\">\n<li data-start=\"4155\" data-end=\"4229\"><strong data-start=\"4157\" data-end=\"4169\">In women:<\/strong> infertility, ectopic pregnancy, chronic pelvic pain<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4230\" data-end=\"4290\"><strong data-start=\"4232\" data-end=\"4248\">In men:<\/strong> prostatitis, orchitis, decreased fertility<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4291\" data-end=\"4364\"><strong data-start=\"4293\" data-end=\"4314\">In newborns:<\/strong> pneumonia, conjunctivitis when transmitted from mother<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"4366\" data-end=\"4461\">Timely testing helps avoid complications and prevent further spread of infection.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is chlamydia and why it is important to get tested Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. The pathogen<\/p>","protected":false},"author":627,"featured_media":8453,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/627"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8452"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8452\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medilab.km.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}