This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Chlamydia is one of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infections in the United States. It is also one of the easiest to treat. The hard part is that it often causes no symptoms, so many people only learn about it through a test.

This guide explains what chlamydia is, what symptoms can look like, who the CDC and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) say should be screened, how testing works, and how treatment works. It also covers Salt Lake City testing options, Utah's rules on partner treatment and minor consent, and local numbers from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.

The tone here is plain on purpose. Chlamydia is a common health issue, not a moral one. Anyone who is sexually active, of any gender or orientation, can get it.

Key takeaways

The CDC says most people with chlamydia have no symptoms, so testing is the only way to know what is going on.
Chlamydia is curable with antibiotics prescribed by a clinician. Treatment works best when it is not delayed.
The CDC and USPSTF recommend yearly screening for sexually active women 24 and younger and for older women at increased risk. The CDC also recommends screening for men who have sex with men, based on exposure.
Testing is usually a urine sample or a swab, using a test called a NAAT.
The CDC recommends retesting about three months after treatment, because repeat infection is common.
Partners need testing and treatment too. Utah allows expedited partner therapy for chlamydia and gonorrhea, according to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.
In Salt Lake City, testing is available at a county clinic, Planned Parenthood, community health centers and more. Some options are free or low cost.

What chlamydia is and how it spreads
Symptoms of chlamydia
Who should be tested, and how often
How chlamydia testing works
Chlamydia treatment and whether chlamydia is curable
Partners, retesting and prevention
Chlamydia testing in Salt Lake City
Common questions

What chlamydia is and how it spreads

Chlamydia is an infection caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis. The CDC describes it as one of the most commonly reported bacterial STIs in the country.

How it is passed on

The CDC says chlamydia spreads through vaginal, anal or oral sex with a partner who has it. It can pass between partners of any gender. A person does not need to have symptoms to pass it on.

Chlamydia can also pass from a pregnant person to a baby during delivery. This is one reason clinicians ask about testing during pregnancy.

The infection can live in different places in the body. The CDC lists the genitals, the rectum and the throat as possible sites. Which site matters depends on the kind of sex a person has had, and it affects which test a clinician will suggest.

What it is not

Chlamydia is not spread by toilet seats, shared towels, hugging or casual contact. It is also not a sign of anything about a person's character. It is a bacterial infection, and bacteria do not check anyone's values.

Why it matters even when it feels like nothing

Left untreated, chlamydia can sometimes lead to health problems. The CDC notes that in people with a uterus, it can spread to the reproductive organs and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can lead to long-term pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and difficulty getting pregnant.

In people with a penis, the CDC says chlamydia can sometimes cause pain and swelling in the testicles (epididymitis). Complications in this group are less common.

These outcomes are the reason clinicians encourage testing even without symptoms. They are not a prediction for any one person. Most people who test and get treated do not go on to have these problems.

Symptoms of chlamydia

The most important fact about the symptoms of chlamydia is that there are often none. The CDC says most people with chlamydia have no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they may show up weeks after exposure, and they can be mild enough to miss.

Symptoms alone cannot tell anyone whether they have chlamydia. Many other conditions cause the same signs, including urinary tract infections, yeast infections and other STIs. Only a test, read by a clinician, can answer that question.

Symptoms the CDC lists for people with a vagina

A change in vaginal discharge
A burning feeling when urinating
Pain during sex
Bleeding between periods or after sex
Lower belly or pelvic pain

Symptoms the CDC lists for people with a penis

Discharge from the penis
A burning feeling when urinating
Pain or swelling in one or both testicles

Symptoms in the rectum or throat

Chlamydia in the rectum can cause pain, discharge or bleeding. It can also cause no symptoms at all. Chlamydia in the throat usually causes no symptoms, according to the CDC.

When symptoms are a reason to be seen soon

Any of the signs above is a good reason to contact a clinic. Severe pelvic pain, severe testicular pain or fever with any of these signs is a reason to seek care promptly. A clinician can examine, test and decide what is going on.

If a person has been told a partner tested positive for chlamydia, that is also a reason to be tested and to ask about treatment, with or without symptoms.

Who should be tested, and how often

Because chlamydia so often has no symptoms, national guidance is based on who is more likely to be affected, not on how someone feels.

Yearly screening recommendations

The USPSTF recommends screening for chlamydia in all sexually active women 24 years and younger. It also recommends screening for older women who are at increased risk. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) agree and recommend yearly screening for these groups.

For men who have sex with men, the CDC recommends screening at least once a year at the sites of exposure. The CDC says more frequent screening, such as every three to six months, may be useful for people at increased risk. A clinician can help work out the right schedule.

The CDC recommends screening for pregnant people who are under 25, or who are older and at increased risk. People with HIV are also advised to be screened based on their sexual history. A clinician can set the schedule.

People who may be tested on a different schedule

The CDC guidelines recommend that transgender and gender-diverse people be screened based on their anatomy and their sexual history, not on gender identity. For example, someone with a cervix follows the recommendations for people with a cervix. Someone who has receptive anal sex should discuss rectal testing.

There is not enough evidence for the CDC to recommend routine screening for every man who has sex only with women. That is different from saying no one in that group should be tested. Anyone with symptoms, a new partner who has chlamydia, or a concern can ask a clinician for a test.

Other good reasons to get tested

A partner has been diagnosed with chlamydia or another STI
New symptoms of any kind in the genital area, rectum or urinary tract
A new partner, or more than one partner
Starting a new relationship and wanting a fresh start
A prior chlamydia diagnosis, since repeat infections are common

Anyone who is unsure should ask a clinician what fits their situation. Asking is routine, and clinicians answer these questions every day.

How chlamydia testing works

The test: NAAT

The CDC recommends a nucleic acid amplification test, called a NAAT, for chlamydia. A NAAT looks for the genetic material of the bacteria. The CDC says NAATs are the most sensitive tests available for this infection.

What the sample looks like

Depending on the person and the kind of sex they have had, the sample may be:

Urine. This is common for people with a penis. It can also be used for people with a vagina.
A vaginal swab. The CDC says this is the preferred sample for people with a vagina, and it can often be collected by the patient in private.
A rectal swab. This is used for people who have had receptive anal sex.
A throat swab. This is used for people who have had oral sex, depending on exposure and clinic practice.

Many people are surprised by how quick and simple this is. Most visits involve a urine cup or a swab, not an exam.

Timing and results

A test taken very soon after an exposure may not detect an infection yet. The CDC does not give a single firm window for every situation, so a clinician is the best person to say when testing makes sense after a specific exposure. If a result does not match what a person expects, they can ask whether repeat testing is a good idea.

How long results take depends on the clinic and the lab. Ask when you book or at check-in how and when you will hear back.

What a result means

A positive result means the test found chlamydia, and a clinician will talk about treatment. A negative result means the test did not find it at the time of testing. Neither result is a judgment, and a clinician can explain what a result means for a specific situation.

Testing and privacy for young people

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (IBIS) says that, under Utah Code 26B-7-214, people 14 and older can consent to STI care without parental consent. The Salt Lake County Health Department says its clinic tests anyone 14 or older. Anyone younger, or anyone with questions about how billing and records are handled, can ask the clinic before the visit.

Chlamydia treatment and whether chlamydia is curable

Is chlamydia curable?

Yes. The CDC says chlamydia is curable with the right antibiotics. Treatment comes from a clinician. It is not something to buy or try to replicate at home, and leftover or borrowed medicine is not a safe substitute.

The antibiotic, how long it is taken and how it is taken are decisions for the clinician. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) name a first-choice antibiotic and alternatives, and the choice can depend on factors such as pregnancy, allergies and other medicines. Those details belong in the clinic, not in a general article.

What to expect from chlamydia treatment

A clinician reviews the test result and asks about allergies, pregnancy and other medicines.
The clinician prescribes an antibiotic and explains how to take it.
The clinician talks through partner notification and treatment.
The clinician explains when to retest.

The CDC advises people to finish the full course of medicine as prescribed and to avoid sex while treatment is under way. The CDC says to wait until treatment is complete, and until partners have also been treated, before having sex again. A clinician can give the exact timing for each situation.

What treatment can and cannot do

Antibiotics clear the infection. They cannot undo scarring that has already happened in the reproductive organs. This is why earlier testing and treatment matter, and why clinicians stress them.

Treatment also does not protect against getting chlamydia again. A person can be infected again by an untreated partner or by a new partner. Repeat infection is common, which is why the CDC recommends retesting.

Pregnancy

Chlamydia can be treated during pregnancy. The CDC guidelines recommend a specific approach for pregnant people, and a clinician will choose the medicine. The CDC also recommends a follow-up test after treatment during pregnancy. Anyone who is pregnant or may be pregnant should tell the clinician before treatment starts.

If symptoms do not improve

Anyone whose symptoms continue after treatment should go back to the clinic. Other causes may be involved, or a repeat exposure may have happened. A clinician can test again and decide what comes next.

Partners, retesting and prevention

Telling partners

Telling a partner can feel awkward. It is also one of the most useful things a person can do. A partner may have no symptoms and may not know to get tested.

The CDC recommends that sex partners from the 60 days before symptoms started, or before the diagnosis if there were no symptoms, be tested and treated. If there were no partners in that window, the CDC advises treating the most recent partner. A clinic or health department can help with how to bring this up, and some can notify partners without naming the person who tested.

A simple script can help: "I tested positive for chlamydia. It is common and treatable. I think you should get tested and treated too." That is enough.

Expedited partner therapy in Utah

Expedited partner therapy (EPT) lets a clinician give treatment, or a prescription, to a patient to pass to a partner without the partner having an exam first. The CDC's legal status page for Utah, last updated August 16, 2024, cites Utah Code 58-1-501.3, effective May 12, 2009, and Utah Code 58-17b-620, which covers health department standing-order prescriptions for STD treatment.

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services says EPT in Utah covers chlamydia and gonorrhea. EPT is not a replacement for a partner's own visit. Partners are still encouraged to get tested, and EPT may not be right for everyone, such as a partner who is pregnant or has symptoms. A clinician decides whether EPT is appropriate and how it works in practice.

Retesting at about three months

The CDC recommends that people treated for chlamydia be retested about three months after treatment. This is true even when they believe their partners were treated. The reason is simple. Repeat infections are common, and they carry a higher risk of complications.

If three months is not possible, the CDC says to retest whenever the person next seeks care in the first year after treatment. Retesting soon after treatment is not usually helpful, because the test can pick up leftover genetic material. A clinician can advise on timing.

Prevention

Condoms. The CDC says latex condoms, used correctly each time, lower the risk of chlamydia and other STIs. Dental dams can be used for oral sex.
Regular testing. Testing on the schedule that fits a person's situation catches infections early.
Talking with partners. Sharing test dates and results helps both people make decisions.
Treating partners. Treating all partners at the same time reduces the chance of passing the infection back and forth.

Doxy-PEP and chlamydia

In 2024, the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline taken after sex as post-exposure prevention, called doxy-PEP. The CDC recommends that clinicians discuss it with gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and with transgender women, who have had a bacterial STI in the past year. The CDC says it can lower the chance of chlamydia, syphilis and, to a lesser degree, gonorrhea.

Doxy-PEP is a prescription decision with a clinician, who can talk through benefits, side effects and follow-up testing. The Salt Lake County Health Department lists doxy-PEP among the services at its clinic.

Chlamydia testing in Salt Lake City

What the local numbers say

The Utah IBIS public health data portal, from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, reports Salt Lake County's 2022 chlamydia rate at 479.7 cases per 100,000 people. The statewide rate for Utah that year was 328.7 per 100,000, which was 11,107 cases.

For context, IBIS reports Salt Lake County's 2022 gonorrhea rate at 166.4 per 100,000, compared with 91.2 for Utah. Its primary and secondary syphilis rate for the county was 13.7 per 100,000, compared with 7.0 for Utah.

These are reported cases, so they reflect who was tested and reported as well as who was infected. They are a reason to take routine screening seriously. They are not a reason for alarm. Testing is simple and chlamydia is treatable. The state's more recent figures were not available for this guide, so check the Utah IBIS portal for the latest.

Where to get tested

Salt Lake City has several places that offer chlamydia testing. The list below covers the main ones. For a broader look, see the guide to STD testing options in Salt Lake City. Details change, so call before going.

Salt Lake County Health Department STD Clinic / Infectious Disease Clinic

Address: 610 South 200 East (enter from 200 East), Salt Lake City
Phone: 385-468-4242. The STD Prevention Program is 385-468-4185.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The clinic opens at 1:00 PM on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.
Walk-ins: Accepted when possible. Appointments shorten the wait. The Utah 211 directory lists 385-468-4225 for the Salt Lake City Public Health Center and says calling ahead is preferred.
Who: Testing for anyone 14 or older.
Published fees: The clinic lists an office visit of $60 for Salt Lake County residents and $80 for people outside the county. Chlamydia and gonorrhea testing is $40 per site. An HIV blood test is $50 and syphilis is $40. There is no office visit fee for HIV-only testing, and rapid HIV testing is free for high-risk individuals while grant funds last. The clinic says it cannot bill health insurance.
Other services: HIV testing, PrEP, doxy-PEP and treatment.

Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, Salt Lake Health Center

Address: 654 S 900 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
Phone: (801) 322-5571
Details: The CDC GetTested directory lists appointments as required, insurance and Medicaid as accepted, and a sliding scale. It lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, HIV and hepatitis B and C testing. Hours are not listed, so check with the center.

Community Health Centers, Inc.

Community Health Centers, Inc. is a federally qualified health center with two Salt Lake City locations listed on the CDC GetTested directory. Both list a sliding scale and acceptance of insurance, Medicaid and Medicare. Both list chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes and HIV testing. Hours are not listed, so check with the clinic. The directory says to contact the organization about eligibility.

Oquirrh View Community Health Center: 4745 S 3200 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84129. Phone (801) 964-6214. Appointment required.
Ellis R. Shipp Clinic: 4535 S 5600 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84120. Phone (801) 676-4405. Ask the clinic whether appointments are needed.

University of Utah Health, Redwood Health Center

Address: 1525 W 2100 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84119
Phone: (801) 213-9900
Details: The CDC GetTested listing shows testing for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, with insurance accepted and PrEP assistance for people without insurance. Check the clinic for hours and costs.

University of Utah Student Health Center

Address: 555 Foothill Dr, Level 1, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Phone: 801-581-6431
Details: HIV and STI testing by appointment, with or without symptoms. A visit fee and lab charges apply. The center's page says Campus Wellness mobile clinics offer free HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydia testing for people without symptoms. The page does not say whether people who are not students can use the center, so ask before booking.

Utah Naloxone (Andy's Wellness Center)

Address: 525 East 100 South, Suite 4400, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
Phone: (385) 495-9050
Details: A nonprofit harm reduction program whose listing shows STI testing and treatment, HIV and hepatitis C testing and syringe services. Listed hours are Monday, Thursday and Friday from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The listing does not state costs or a walk-in policy, so check with the program.

Finding more options

The CDC runs a directory at gettested.cdc.gov where people can look up testing sites by ZIP code. The Salt Lake County Health Department's main page is at slco.org/health.

Tips for a smooth visit

Call first. Hours, costs and walk-in policies can change.
Ask what is included. A clinic may test urine only, or may also swab the throat or rectum. Say which kinds of sex you have had so the clinician can choose the right sites.
Ask about cost. Ask what the visit and each test will cost, and whether insurance is accepted. Where a clinic's page does not list a price, ask when you call.
Ask about other tests. If a clinician is already collecting a sample, it may be a good time to talk about HIV, syphilis and other STIs.
Ask how results are shared. Phone, portal or in person varies by clinic.

Common questions

Can chlamydia go away on its own?

The CDC recommends antibiotic treatment because the infection can persist and can lead to complications. A clinician is the right person to advise on this.

Can I get chlamydia from oral sex?

The CDC says chlamydia can be found in the throat and can pass through oral sex. Throat infections are often without symptoms.

Is chlamydia curable if I have had it before?

Yes. Each infection can be treated. Having chlamydia once does not make a person immune, so a repeat infection is possible. That is part of the reason for the three-month retest.

Do I have to tell my partner?

The CDC strongly encourages it, since partners may have no symptoms. A clinic or the health department can help with how to tell them.

Will my parents find out if I am 14 to 17?

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services says people 14 and older can consent to STI care without a parent. How billing and records are handled can vary, so it is fair to ask the clinic about privacy before the visit.

Where can I get a low-cost test?

Options include the Salt Lake County Health Department clinic with its published fees, sliding-scale clinics such as Planned Parenthood and Community Health Centers, and free mobile clinics through University of Utah Campus Wellness. Check each for current details.

Next step

If it has been a while since a test, or a partner has told you about an infection, a visit is a reasonable next step. Pick a clinic from the list above, call to confirm hours and costs, and ask what testing fits your situation. Chlamydia is common, testable and curable with treatment from a clinician.

Chlamydia: Symptoms, Testing and Treatment in Salt Lake City