Chlamydia Test

Chlamydia is a venereal disease that is caused by the bacterium chlamydia trachomatis. It survives and transmits through the genital fluids during intercourse. Mostly, it affects the genital areas of both males and females. You can also contract this disease in the anus. On rare occasions, you may have chlamydia of the throat and the eye. Pregnant women with chlamydia can infect the infant during childbirth. 

The clinical symptoms of this disease are similar to gonorrhea. Thus, it is not advisable to self-medicate at home. If you have the correct diagnosis early enough, the condition is easily curable with antibiotics. Today, we shall look into the chlamydia test, statistical data, and the available testing kits. 

Types of Chlamydia Tests

Depending on your gender, there are primarily two ways of testing genital chlamydia. You can have a urine test or take a swab sample test. This can happen at a medical institution under supervision. If you have to, you can have your test at home using a testing kit. 

  • Urine Test for Men

This procedure is a standard since it is easy and painless. You first clean your clean. Using a medical cleansing pad or wipes, wash your genitals, especially the penis. When you start urinating, leave a few drops to pass. Then place the sample collection container in place for collecting the passing urine. Fill the container according to the measurements you have on the container. Present the sample to the laboratory technician at the clinic. Most importantly, flush the toilet clean when you leave. 

  • Urine Test for Women

For the women, after cleaning their hands, they have to clean the labia with a medical pad. The collection procedure is the same as men’s. After the collection is over, present the sample to the laboratory technician for analysis. For an accurate diagnosis, have your hands, genitals, and the operation room clean. 

Swab Testing

The test is almost homogeneous for both men and women. For accurate information, we shall separate the two for your understanding.

  • Men 

Once in the clinical room, you have to remove your clothes and underwear. While sitting on the examination chair, the medical practitioner will clean your genitals with a sterilizer. Then, the doctor will insert a cotton swab into the urethra opening at the tip of the penis. Rubbing the swab gently in your urethra, the doctor collects the tissues in the lining for laboratory analysis. 

  • Women

After removing your clothes, you have to lie on the examination table. Then fold your knees with your feet slightly apart. The doctor will gently rub the inside wall of your vagina and cervix with a swab. Once the collection is over, the sample goes to the laboratory. You may require multiple samples. So a new swab will be used for every sample collection. 

Other Cases of Chlamydia  

  • Rectum 

The anal chlamydia is common in gay men. The doctor uses a swab test to pick samples inside your anus wall lining. 

  • Throat 

The swab testing is the general way of diagnosis if you have the bacteria or not. Nonetheless, the throat has a host of bacteria and thus making it difficult to get a precise diagnosis. 

  • Eye

Doctors rely mostly on physical symptoms while diagnosing this condition. In rare circumstances, some practitioners will call for a laboratory test using a swab test. 

  • Children

Women who suffer this disease infect their infants at childbirth. The symptoms of these vary according to the infections. But most manifest in the eyes of the baby. 

Causes of False Positives and False Negatives

A false positive is a medical report claiming you have the bacteria while you do not have it. Indeed, most of the chlamydia tests are accurate, but not to 100 percent. The sensitivity aspect of testing is the ability of the procedure to determine the bacteria in the sample. 

Again, a false negative means the report claims you do not have the bacteria while you have it. The specificity aspect is the ability of the process to prove that the person does not have the bacteria. 

Apart from the two, some factors can cause false results. The taking of medications before the test is one. Then other contaminants like stool in the anal test, or a dirty urine sample. In women, you should not apply vaginal creams before undergoing a test. 

Statistics in Africa

The research conclusions on Chlamydia and other STIs are alarming. For instance, in South Africa, the new infections of Chlamydia in 2017 alone stand at 1.9 million. The story is the same across Sub-Saharan Africa. There are staggering high figures of infections on Chlamydia. About 85 percent of women who go for infertility treatment are victims of STIs, especially chlamydia.

Self-Testing

Due to the high prevalence of infections, most people are opting for test kiting. This is common where the kits are cheaply available. When you use it following the instructions, you will arrive at precise results as a clinical process. Additionally, it is much quicker to display the results than a laboratory test. 

For instance, in Ghana, the arrival of test kiting kits is rejuvenating the awareness of knowing your status. The portable kits are simple to use and highly efficient. In case you are not sure of the symptoms you have, there is a test kit that detects several venereal diseases in a single procedure. 

Facts Consideration

Chlamydia is a common and treatable disease. The lack of precise testing, screening, and treatment is the major contributor to the rapid infections. Since much of Africa is still experiencing stigma on STIs victims, the statistics might be higher than projected by health organizations. With the advent of the new home portable test kits, the quick screening will help people prevent the spread on time. 

References

https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/chlamydia-test/

https://www.healthline.com/health/sexually-transmitted-diseases/chlamydia-test#testing

https://www.healthline.com/health/sexually-transmitted-diseases/chlamydia-in-throat#diagnosis

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trachoma/symptoms-causes/syc-20378505

https://www.verywellhealth.com/false-positive-or-false-negative-std-test-results-3132750

https://www.uwhealth.org/health/topic/medicaltest/chlamydia-tests/hw4046.html#hw4093

http://www.nicd.ac.za/preventing-sexually-transmitted-infections-why-south-africa-isnt-winning/

https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-018-3477-y