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STDs (Expert Forum)
Chlamydia Window Period
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
This forum does not cover AIDS/HIV issues. This forum is for questions and support regarding STD issues such as: Chlamydia, Crabs (pubic lice scabies), Gonorrhea, Hepatitis (viral), Herpes, HPV, Molluscum Contagiosum, PID, Rectal Infections, Syphilis, Trichomonas, Warts, Yeast Infection.
IMPORTANT
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
Chlamydia Window Period
by jeffinphilly, Nov 20, 2006 12:00AM
Several to the Point Chlamydia Questions:
1. How long after exposure must one wait to get an accurrate test?
2. Is Chlamydia really never transmitted orally?
3. If STD's cant get transmitted by kissing, why can some get transmitted by receiving oral sex?
4. If you have time, maybe list the window periods for all STD's here so they can all be seen in one place, as it is hard to find them on this site and other sites have conflicting data.
1. How long after exposure must one wait to get an accurrate test?
2. Is Chlamydia really never transmitted orally?
3. If STD's cant get transmitted by kissing, why can some get transmitted by receiving oral sex?
4. If you have time, maybe list the window periods for all STD's here so they can all be seen in one place, as it is hard to find them on this site and other sites have conflicting data.
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Nov 20, 2006 12:00AM
, Nov 20, 2006 12:00AM
Straight to your questions:
1) There are not precise data on this, but virtually all persons with chlamydia will have positive tests within 4-5 days of infection. Perhaps as early as 1-2 days, but no data to know for sure.
2) Chlamydia is rare in the throat; CDC recommends against even testing sexually active people for oral chlamydial infection. To my knowledge, there has never been a proved case of urethral chlamydia in someone whose only possible exposure was by receiving oral sex. Nobody can say for sure that something never observed cannot happen--but at least it is very rare.
3) No data available to answer for sure, but prsumably it has to do with the mechanics exposure. Fellatio typically lasts longer than the average kiss, and the urethra often is exposed to the back of the throat, which is where oral gonorrhea is located. Just as kissing is not known to transmit gonorrhea, women rarely if ever acquire genital gonorrhea by receiving oral sex. In other words, cunnilingus acts like kissing in this regard--presumably, again, because there is no exposure to secretions at the back of the throat. (Other STDs are more readily transmitted by either fellatio or cunnilingus--syphilis and herpes for example, for which the infected tissues often include the lips, tongue, etc.)
4) In general, the window period is just a few days for infections diagnosed by detecting the organism itself and that cause early symptoms (gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes if there are symptoms). It is a few weeks for all infections that are detected by blood test (syphilis, HIV, herpes without symptoms).
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
1) There are not precise data on this, but virtually all persons with chlamydia will have positive tests within 4-5 days of infection. Perhaps as early as 1-2 days, but no data to know for sure.
2) Chlamydia is rare in the throat; CDC recommends against even testing sexually active people for oral chlamydial infection. To my knowledge, there has never been a proved case of urethral chlamydia in someone whose only possible exposure was by receiving oral sex. Nobody can say for sure that something never observed cannot happen--but at least it is very rare.
3) No data available to answer for sure, but prsumably it has to do with the mechanics exposure. Fellatio typically lasts longer than the average kiss, and the urethra often is exposed to the back of the throat, which is where oral gonorrhea is located. Just as kissing is not known to transmit gonorrhea, women rarely if ever acquire genital gonorrhea by receiving oral sex. In other words, cunnilingus acts like kissing in this regard--presumably, again, because there is no exposure to secretions at the back of the throat. (Other STDs are more readily transmitted by either fellatio or cunnilingus--syphilis and herpes for example, for which the infected tissues often include the lips, tongue, etc.)
4) In general, the window period is just a few days for infections diagnosed by detecting the organism itself and that cause early symptoms (gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes if there are symptoms). It is a few weeks for all infections that are detected by blood test (syphilis, HIV, herpes without symptoms).
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
In fact, I was told, after being tested 10 days after possible exposure with no symtoms except emotional agony, that the Chlamydia test would not be conclusive and that I should return at six weeks from the possible exposure for a retest.
I like the answer here because it would mean that I could rely on my negative 10 day result without further invasion of my urethra by that nasty cotton swab, but I have to wonder why I was given different information and why several credible web sites have differing window periods.
How come 3 months there and 5 days okay for others?
Just wondering....are all the responses written by Dr. HHH personally, or are assistants used. I ask because some responses seem to take a different tone and the writting styles seem different, and the different response to the window period as stated above.
Either way, excellent resource!