ALPH10011
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To find out if you have chlamydia all you need to do is the Clamelle Chlamydia Test, a simple urine test, which is then sent off to the laboratory for results.
The laboratory analyses the urine sample by the gold standard test for chlamydia, a Nucleic Acid Amplification Technique (NAAT) test.
Each test kit contains:- instruction leaflet, test request form, urine sample bottle, transport container, pre paid padded envelope. Post the urine sample off directly to the designated laboratory. Your result will be available within seven days. You can choose to either receive your result in the post or by returning to a pharmacy participating in the Clamelle chlamydia service.
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What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the UK.
Chlamydia is often called the 'silent epidemic' - as most people don't know they have it because typically there are no symptoms. It can stay undetected for months or years, and left untreated the infection can spread and cause serious long term problems that can affect fertility and sexual health in both men and women.
How do you get chlamydia?
Chlamydia may be transmitted through unprotected sex or any genital contact with an infected sexual partner or sex toy.
Anyone who is sexually active is at risk of infection. If you do not use protection i.e. have safe sex, you are at greater risk. The more partners you have, the more you are at risk of getting the infection.
What are the symptoms of chlamydia?
Chlamydia often has no symptoms, and people can have the infection without knowing about it yet still be passing it on to their sexual partners. In fact, around 70% of people do not experience any symptoms of infection, so it can stay hidden for months or years. Even without symptoms, it's still important to treat the infection - left untreated, it can lead to long term problems such as infertility.
Without symptoms, the only way of knowing for sure if you have a chlamydia infection is to take a test.
If you do have symptoms, they are likely to be:
- In women: unusual vaginal discharge, pain when passing urine or during sexual intercourse, pain below the belly button or bleeding between periods or after sex.
- In men: pain and/or burning when passing urine, discharge from the penis, or swelling and pain in the testicles.
- In men and women: if the infection is in the rectum, there are rarely any symptoms but it may cause discomfort and discharge. Sometimes inflammation of the joints and eyes, this is known as Reiter's syndrome and is more common in men than women.
If you have any of these symptoms, speak to your pharmacist or GP or visit a clinic that specialises in treating sexually transmitted infections.
Why should chlamydia be treated?
People with chlamydia infection, who remain undiagnosed and untreated, are at risk of developing serious long term problems which can affect fertility and can be more difficult to treat. In women, these include pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which can lead to infertility, can seriously affect the womb and the fallopian tubes and can cause ectopic pregnancy (when pregnancy develops outside the womb). In men, the infection may spread to the epididymis causing pain and swelling to the testicles and can cause infertility.
What is the treatment for chlamydia?
Treatment for uncomplicated chlamydia is straightforward. It can be simply treated with antibiotics. If you don't have symptoms, you can now buy Clamelle Azithromycin 500mg Tablets which contain the antibiotic Azithromycin from your pharmacy providing you have been tested for chlamydia and the pharmacist confirms the treatment is appropriate for you. It can also be used to treat sexual partners of people who have tested positive.You can also get treatment on the NHS by visiting a clinic specialising in sexually transmitted infections or your GP.
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Is it confidential?
Yes, the results of the Clamelle Chlamydia Test are completely confidential and will not be passed onto your GP unless you request them to do so. You are given a Unique Reference Number (URN) to maintain this confidentiality.
My test is positive, what should I do?
If you have bought a test and the result is positive, don't worry. You can be treated quickly with antibiotics. Just go back to the pharmacy where you bought the test or any participating pharmacy offering the Clamelle chlamydia service. The pharmacist will provide you with appropriate sexual health advice and following consultation you can purchase Clamelle Azithromycin 500mg Tablets if the pharmacist confirms the treatment is suitable for you.
Clamelle Tablets are a new treatment for chlamydia available to buy from pharmacies. The tablets contain Azithromycin, an effective antibiotic, now available without a prescription. Always read the label.
Clamelle Tablets only treat chlamydia. If you want to be tested for other STIs, speak to your pharmacist for advice on where to go.
My test is negative, what should I do?
If your test is negative, it means you don't have chlamydia. However, you may be at risk of other sexually transmitted infections and so it is important that you visit your GUM clinic to be tested for other STIs.
My test is neither positive or negative, what should I do?
If the result of your test is unclear and is recorded as neither positive or negative, the test should be repeated. This is known as 'an equivocal test result'. Go back to the pharmacy where you originally bought the test, taking with you the equivocal test result letter or your verification slip, and they will give you a replacement kit free of charge.
What about partners?
If you have tested positive for chlamydia, it is likely that your sexual partner(s) may have it too. It is important that the people you have recently had sex with are also treated, to stop them reinfecting you, passing on the infection or having problems in the future.
If you have tested positive for chlamydia, the pharmacist will provide you with partner notification slip(s) for you to give or send to your partner(s) to help with notifying them and encouraging them to seek treatment. Partners can then use this notification slip to purchase Clamelle Tablets from the pharmacy (if suitable) without needing to buy a test. Some partners may also choose to be tested. Partners will receive a consultation and sexual health advice from the pharmacist.
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