Chlamydia test kit
Request a Chlamydia test kit for use at home
The chlamydia test kit from ZAVA is a simple and convenient test you can do at home.
You can use the test in the convenience of your own home and return it by post to ZAVA. Your test will be processed in one of our partner labs and reviewed by one of our doctors. Your results will be sent to you within 2 to 3 days.
For men, the chlamydia test kit contains a urine sample collector.
For women, the chlamydia test kit contains a swab for you to provide a sample from your vagina.
Chlamydia test kits also include labels and a postage pack for you to return your sample.
To order a chlamydia test kit from ZAVA, complete our online questionnaire. Your chlamydia test kit will be sent to you by post in a discreet pack. It should arrive within 1 to 2 days.
About the chlamydia test kit
Why should you get tested for Chlamydia?
You should get tested for chlamydia because if left untreated, chlamydia can lead to complications. If you have chlamydia, you could also pass it on to a sexual partner.
You may not be aware that you have chlamydia because it often does not cause any symptoms. It is estimated that 7 in 10 women with chlamydia, and 5 in 10 men with chlamydia, will not have any symptoms. The only way to be sure if you have chlamydia or not is by taking a test.
If you do have chlamydia, it can easily be treated with a short course of antibiotics. If chlamydia is not treated, it can lead to further health complications. In women it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can cause:
- chronic pain
- ectopic pregnancy (where a baby develops outside of the womb)
- infertility
- a higher risk of complications in pregnancy including miscarriage, premature delivery and stillbirth
Chlamydia can also be passed from a mother to a baby during childbirth, causing infection of the lungs or the eyes.
In men, untreated chlamydia can lead to an infection in the testicles called epididymo-orchitis. This can cause pain and swelling, and may reduce fertility.
Rarely, in men and women chlamydia can lead to reactive arthritis.
If you have chlamydia and it is not treated, you might pass chlamydia on to a sexual partner. This can happen even if you do not have any symptoms of chlamydia.
How to use a chlamydia test
The chlamydia test from ZAVA is convenient and easy to use.
If you have symptoms of chlamydia, you can use the test straight away.
If you do not have symptoms of chlamydia, you should wait for 2 weeks after unprotected sex before using the test. If you take the test sooner than this, it may not give an accurate result.
For women, the chlamydia test from ZAVA contains a swab test:
- before opening the test, wash and dry your hands
- break the seal of the swab test kit by twisting the cap
- take out the swab but do not touch the tip of the swab (the end with the small cotton wool covering)
- with your hand, gently spread the skin outside your vagina
- insert the tip of the swab into the vagina a small way and no more than about 5cm (2 inches)
- turn (rotate) the swab inside your vagina for 10 to 15 seconds
- remove the swab from your vagina and place it in the tube
- wash your hands
- make sure your sample is correctly labelled according to the instructions in the test kit
- place the sample in the envelope and return it to ZAVA by post
For men, the chlamydia test from ZAVA contains a urine test:
- before opening the test, wash and dry your hands
- take the small bottle and use it to collect a sample of your pee (urine)
- try and collect the first flow of your pee
- fill the bottle at least halfway
- close the small bottle and place it in the larger bottle
- make sure the piece of absorbent paper is also in the larger bottle
- wash your hands
- make sure your sample is correctly labelled according to the instructions in the test kit
- place the sample in the envelope and return it to ZAVA by post
When will I get my chlamydia test results?
Your chlamydia test results will be available 1 to 3 days after your sample is received by our lab. You can view your results by logging in to your ZAVA account online. You will also be notified by email when a new test result is available.
What if my chlamydia test is positive?
If your chlamydia test result is positive, you will need to have treatment to clear the infection.
Treatment for chlamydia is a short course of antibiotics. You can order treatment for chlamydia from ZAVA, or speak to your doctor.
It’s important to have treatment for chlamydia, even if you do not have any symptoms. If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to further health problems. You could also pass chlamydia infection on to a sexual partner.
If your sexual partner has recently had a positive result from a chlamydia test you should also consider treatment, even if you have no symptoms of chlamydia or if you have had a negative test result.
How accurate are Chlamydia home test kits?
The chlamydia home test from ZAVA is very accurate. When used correctly, the test is 90 to 95% accurate. If the chlamydia test gives you a positive result, it is likely that you have chlamydia.
What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. It is very common, particularly in young people under the age of 25 years.
Chlamydia usually affects the genital area. In women, chlamydia usually affects the cervix (neck of the womb) and the uterus (womb). In men, chlamydia usually affects the urethra (the tube that your pee comes out of). In both men and women it can also affect the rectum (back passage), eyes, and throat.
The most common symptoms of chlamydia in women are:
- pain or a burning feeling when you pee
- a change in vaginal discharge
- bleeding or spotting between periods, or bleeding after sex
- pain in your lower tummy, especially during sex
The most common symptoms of chlamydia in men are:
- pain or a burning feeling when you pee
- discharge from the tip of your penis
- pain at the tip of your penis
Chlamydia often causes no symptoms though, so often people are unaware that they have the infection. It is estimated that 7 out of 10 women with chlamydia, and 5 in 10 men with chlamydia, are not aware that they have it.
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), also known as a sexually transmitted disease (STD). This means it is spread through sex, including vaginal, oral, and anal sex. You can also catch chlamydia through contact with sexual fluids (semen or vaginal fluids), even if you have not had penetrative sex.
If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to further health complications. This includes pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women and infection of the testicles in men. These may not develop until months or even years after the initial infection.
You can reduce the risk of catching or passing on chlamydia by using a condom.
Babak studied medicine at King’s College London and graduated in 2003, having also gained a bachelor’s degree in Physiology during his time there. He completed his general practice (GP) training in East London, where he worked for a number of years as a partner at a large inner-city GP practice. He completed the Royal College of GPs membership exam in 2007.
Meet our doctorsLast reviewed: 04 May 2022
-
Chlamydia (NHS) [Sep 2021] [accessed Mar 2021]
-
Chlamydia (Patient) [Oct 2017] [accessed Mar 2021]
-
Chlamydia Patient Information Leaflet (BASHH, British Association for Sexual Health and HIV) [Oct 2016] [accessed Mar 2021]