Chlamydia testing - false results?

[elsa-c]

My boyfriend recently tested positive for chlamydia. We have been having unprotected sex for about 5 months. My urine test for chlamydia came back negative. My doctor seems confiedent that I do not have it, but is it possible that I have not contracted this STD or should I go back for more testing? Is a urine test as accurate as a swab? If he picked it up recently could I still have to wait before testing positive if i have it?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

There are several possible explanations; some will make more or less sense, depending of facts you don't state (duration of your relationship, other partners, etc, etc).  1) You have been infected, but your body has cleared the infection.  2) You were infected by your BF very recently and your test hasn't yet become positive.  3) You aren't infected at all; your BF got it from someone else and hasn't yet transmitted chlamydia to you.  4) You had a false-negative test (this depends quite a bit on what test was done).  5) Your BF had a false-positive test, i.e. wasn't really infected (also depends on the specific test).

Test accuracy doesn't depend so much on urine vs swab, but on what specific testd was done.  For the best tests (nucleic acid amplification tests, like Aptima, Amplicor, or Probe-Tec), urine and swab are just about equally good.

The odds are you are infected.  You must be treated, even if your test is negative.  (CDC and all STD experts recommend automatic treatment of all sex partners of persons with chlamydia, not just those with positive tests.)  Make sure your doctor gives you one of the recommended antibiotics against chlamydia, and don't have sex with your BF (or anyone else) until both of you have completed treatment.  If your own doctor won't treat you, find one who will--such as your BF's provider or your local STD clinic.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[rdw91]

I had clamyhdia and went back for a retest after antibiotics it came back negative but its been a month later and feel the symptoms are still there. During my test I was on antibiotics for a bladder infection could that have caused a false negative

[lauraa806]

A related discussion, RESULTS NOT ACCURATE was started.

[p's grl]

I have been with my man for a year, he got locked up 6 months ago and tested positive for chlymydia in jail and just last week i had a culture done, i was positive i had it and tested negative i know he hasnt cheated on me is there any way for you to have sex with someone with it and not contract it?  i need to know what to do.  should i go get another test done?  some times it smells a little weird down there and i need to get rid of this b4 he comes home, what would you suggest?  do u think the test was wrong?

[Cpt_skinny]

I hear those urine test are pretty darn accurate. Like pretty much 100% acuurate. Mistakes do happen in life. Human error is possible at the lab but I doubt it. Your boyfriend either got it from someone else after having sex with you or you are a very lucky person. Just because you have unprotected sex with somebody with a STD doesn't mean your going to get. The chances are high but sometimes you dodge a bullet.

You can go to your local clinic and get a second text and the medication "Doxycycline" for almost free. Or you can just tell them you have it and skip the text, just get the medication so you feel better mentally.

I have a question for you. I've been trying to post a question for like 3 weeks now. No matter what time I go on the forum is always busy. I'm in the Pacific time zone. I know the web-sites clock resets at random times. I'm just trying to figure out when.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

A maximum of 5-7 questions per day is all the forum can handle; I just don't have time for more.  The forum experience suggests that 40-50 persons (perhaps more) attempt to post questions every 24 hr.  It's random which questions get through.  The random clock reset means exactly that; there is no way to "figure out when" (which is intentional).

Fortunately, about 90% of the questions people ask have been asked and answered before.  Spending 30 min searching the archives will give most people the answers they need.

Good luck--  HHH, MD