Chlamydia FAQs: Can chlamydia be readily diagnosed?
A. Chlamydia is easily confused with gonorrhea because the symptoms of both diseases are similar, and because they often occur together. Until recently, the only way to diagnose chlamydia was to take a sample of secretions from a patient’s genital area and culture the organism in special tissue culture in the laboratory. While still the most definitive test, it is expensive and technically difficult. Results can take up to 3 days. More recently, however, several rapid tests that use sophisticated techniques and a dye to detect bacterial proteins have been developed and are a readily available test for chlamydial infection.What is Chlamydia? | Symptoms | Transmission | Diagnosis | Treatment | Prevention
Adapted from the Office on Women's Health, Department of Health and Human Services
