Chlamydia test kit is an at-home STI testing kit specialized exclusively for detection of chlamydia through urine sample analysis. By using this kit, you can get chlamydia screening without having to visit a doctor at any point in the process. You simply need to use the tools and equipment issued in the kit to collect a urine sample, safely storage it in protective packaging and send it to the relevant partner laboratory.
What’s on this page?
After receiving the sample with the filled out request form, the laboratory will commence testing. The process will take around two days before the results are in. At that point, you will be notified about the results via communication channel of your choice (specified in the request form).
However, you should keep in mind that this is a chlamydia-only test and as such, it cannot detect the presence of other conditions. If you suspect you wish to undergo a more thorough check, there are two alternatives – a combined chlamydia and gonorrhoea test, and a 7-in-1 full STI test kit, covering a wide range of conditions – chlamydia, gonorrhoea, mycoplasma genitalium, gardnerella vaginalis, trichomonas vaginalis, ureaplasma and herpex simplex virus type 1 and type 2.
Chlamydia: A general overview
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the strain of bacteria known as Chlamydia trachomatis. This bacterial STI is the single most common condition of this type in the UK with more than 200.000 new cases being reported to GUM and STI clinics every year. In fact, chlamydia is so widespread that the total number of new cases of this bacterial infection reported annually is roughly equal to number of reported cases of all other STDs combined.
But, in spite of its prevalence, chlamydia can be unexpectedly difficult to identify unless you attend regular STI tests. The reason behind this is the often asymptomatic nature of this condition – many people can struggle with chlamydia for long periods of time without even knowing it. More specifically, as much as 50% of all men affected and staggering 80% of women affected show absolutely no signs of infection, making it exceptionally easy to remain undetected for as long as no symptoms manifest and even when they do, without a proper STI test, it can easily be mistaken for some other condition affecting the genitals and reproductive system.
However, when the symptoms do manifest, they can be more or less easily recognized.Both men and women will experience abdominal pain, especially in the lower part of the stomach. For women, bleeding between periods and more intense menstrual bleeding can also occur, while men might experience pain in testicles. In rare cases, chlamydia can also spread to the eyes, causing symptoms identical to those of conjunctivitis, including redness, ocular discharge and pain.
Below, you can find a detailed list of the most common chlamydia symptoms:
Symptoms in women |
Symptoms in men |
Painful urination |
Painful urination |
Abdominal pain |
Burning sensation in the urethra |
Bleeding during or after sex |
Penile discharge (white colour) |
Irregular menstrual bleeding |
Testicle pain |
Vaginal discharge |
|
If left untreated, chlamydia can cause significant health problems and further complications, including infertility in both sexes.
Why should I get tested?
Getting tested is the only way to know for sure if you have been infected by chlamydia as this condition can remain completely symptomless in a significant percentage of those affected and even when symptoms do manifest, they can easily be mistaken for other STIs. This is why STI test is the only reliable method of figuring out if you have chlamydia.
If left untreated, this bacterial infection can cause significant complications including infertility in both sexes, pelvic inflammatory disease in women and inflammation of the testicles in men. However, despite this, chlamydia can be treated maybe surprisingly easily – by antibiotic medicines, most commonly Azithromycin, although in some cases Doxycycline might be prescribed instead.
If you are involved in a monogamous long-term relationship, you are pretty much safe from chlamydia. However, if you’re sexually active and not involved with one long-term partner, then the risk is much higher, especially when the prevalence of chlamydia is taken into account. If this is the case, it is highly advisable to attend regular STI tests – at least once per year and after having sex with a new partner.
In some cases, if you know for certain that you have been exposed to chlamydia (like if your previous partner gets tested positive) or if the symptoms strongly indicate bacterial infection, the doctor might advise taking the treatment even before taking the test. However, an STI test will still be a must so that your partner(s) can be notified.
What does chlamydia test kid includes?
Chlamydia testing kit will contain all the equpiment needed for safe collection, storage and transport of the required samples as well as an easy-to-understand guide that will provide you with instructions on how to use the testing kit. The core components of the kit include:
- Prepaid envelope
- Urine sample tube
- Request form
- Test kit box
- Urine collection box
- Protective wallet
- Name label
How to use chlamydia test kit?
To ensure accurate results of the test, be sure to follow the instructions precisely. An official instruction leaflet provided within every kit box will provide you with all the details, while we will simply outline the most general steps:
- Wash your hands thoroughly before coming into contact with the kit
- Fill out the request form and the name label
- Place the name label on the sample tube
- Press onto the sides of the urine collection box until it takes the shape of open-topped container
- Begin passing urine into the urine collection box, while paying special attention that the first part of the urine is collected
- Stop when the box is full
- Carefully set the urine collection box down while taking care not to spill the contents
- Unscrew the lid on the urine sample tube
- Transfer the urine from the collection box into the sample tube (up to 9ml mark)
- Tightly screw the lid on the sample tube
- Discard leftover urine from the collection box
- Put the urine sample tube in the protective walled
- Place the completed request form and the sample in the test kit box and seal it
- Place the test kit box into the envelope, seal it and post to the relevant laboratory
When will my results be ready?
It will take the laboratory roughly two days to process the samples after they receive it. So within 48 hours after reception, the results will come in and you will be notified about them via communication channel of your choice (specified in the request form).