How common is Chlamydia?
About 1 in 12 sexually active young people who are screened find they have Chlamydia, yet most people who have it have no signs or symptoms and won’t know they have it.
- 50% of men with Chlamydia will have no symptoms
- 70% of women with Chlamydia have no symptoms
When there are symptoms, what are they?
In men
- a discharge from the tip of your penis
- pain and /or burning when you pass urine
- irritation at the tip of your penis
- swelling in your testicles.
- infertility
In women
- abdominal pain
- vaginal discharge
- pelvic infection
- infertility
Usually with a single treatment of antibiotics
What happens if Chlamydia isn’t treated?
Without treatment chlamydia can lead to painful infection and possibly reduced fertility.
You will pass the infection on to any sexual partners.
What happens if the test is positive?
- If the result is positive, you will need treatment, as will your current partner and any recent sexual partners. Contact us to arrange treatment. We provide this free of charge. We will treat any partners you tell us about too.
If you are worried and need to talk, call the Chlamydia Screening office on 01749 836512 or email us on SomersetCS@somerset.nhs.uk
Will I need another screen?
Yes, if you or your partner have unprotected penetrative sex with someone or if you start a new relationship, or routinely every year.
What kind of test is it?
There are two main types of test. One is a unisex urine test (Blue kit), the other is a female low vaginal swab (Pink kit).
The black kits are unisex and have a free post envelope to aid easy return to the laboratory through the Royal Mail service
What is in the unisex test kits?
The kit contains:
- a clear plastic bottle
- a screen request form
- a leaflet which tells you about Chlamydia, how to do the screen and what to do if you test positive
- a transparent plastic bag in which to put your sample and completed screen request form
Use this kit to take a urine sample, complete the screen request form and return it in the blue foil bag to a screening site or in a free post envelope if it is a black kit.
If you are taking this kit away to do the sample it is very important that you return it to us within 4 hours of filling the specimen pot.
How do I do the unisex urine test?
- You should not have passed urine for at least one hour before you do the sample.
- Write your full name, date of birth and the date you have done the sample on the label of the clear plastic bottle. We cannot do the test without these details.
- Fill in the form with your personal details. Please fill in all the sections as this helps us to be sure that you get your results. On the form you will see a tear off strip: tear along the marked line and throw away this part of the form.
- Now pass the first bit of your urine into the clear plastic bottle. Fill it about half full (don’t fill it to the top!). Don’t worry if the sides get wet, you can dry this with toilet paper.
- Make sure that the screw cap is tightly closed, to stop leakage.
- Put the urine bottle into the smaller, self sealing part of the transparent bag and close it. Put it together with your completed chlamydia screen request form inside the blue foil bag and seal it so your information is kept confidential. Hand it back to the person who gave you the kit.
- If you have a Postal kit, follow the instruction leaflet enclosed, place the specimen bottle in the container, place your completed form, and the specimen in the free post envelope and post within 4 hours of completing the screen.
What is in the female swab kit?
The kit contains:
- a pink self taken vaginal swab
- a screen request form
- a leaflet which tells you about Chlamydia, how to do the test and what to do if you test positive
- a transparent plastic bag in which to put your sample and completed screen request form
Use this kit to take a vaginal swab, complete the screen request form and return it in the pink foil bag.
If you are taking this kit away to do the sample it is very important that you return it to us within 4 hours of filling the specimen pot.
How do I do the test?
- Follow the instructions on the leaflet provided in the test kit
- Check that you have written your full name and date of birth on the label of the clear plastic tube. We cannot do the test without these details.
- Fill in the screen request form with your personal details. Please fill in all the sections as this helps us to be sure that you get your results. On the form you will see a tear off strip, tear along the marked line and throw away this part of the form.
- Put the tube containing your swab into the smaller, self sealing part of the transparent bag and close it. Put this together with your completed chlamydia screen request form inside the pink envelope and seal it so your information is kept confidential. Hand it back to the person who gave you the kit.
How will I get my results?
You choose. Tick the box on the screen form to let us know what you want.
- If you have ticked text or email we will send a message, either
-
CS says OK – which means your result is negative or
-
CS says please phone 01749 836512 which means your result is positive or that there has been a problem with your screen
We will not leave an answer machine message on a home telephone.
If you have not heard from us tyhree weeks after the screen call us on 01749 836512
We will send details of the results but not your name or address to the Health Protection Agency. The Health Protection Agency counts how many people in England have chlamydia so that they can make sure the NHS provides the right treatment.
Remember using a condom every time you have sex reduces the chances of you getting Chlamydia again.
