Chlamydia in Australia: Symptoms, Testing, and Treatment

Chlamydia is the most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection in Australia. In 2024, there were 101,742 diagnoses nationally — around half of them in people aged 20 to 29 — and that figure almost certainly undercounts the true number, because most people who have chlamydia don’t know it.

That’s not because chlamydia is harmless. It’s because it usually has no symptoms at all.

Does Chlamydia Always Have Symptoms?

No. The majority of people infected with chlamydia — estimates suggest around 70–80% — experience no symptoms whatsoever. They feel completely normal, have no reason to suspect an infection, and may not test for months or years.

During that time, the infection can be transmitted to partners. And in the body, untreated chlamydia can cause complications that only become apparent much later. This is why regular testing matters — symptoms are not a reliable signal.

What Are the Symptoms of Chlamydia?

When symptoms do occur, they depend on the site of infection. The table below summarises what to look for — and how often there’s nothing to look for at all.

It’s worth noting that throat and rectal chlamydia are almost always completely asymptomatic. This is particularly important because these sites are often missed in routine GP testing — most standard testing only covers the genitals.

How Long After Exposure Do Symptoms Appear?

If symptoms do develop, they typically appear one to three weeks after exposure. However, because the majority of people never develop symptoms, the timing of onset is rarely a useful guide. Waiting to feel unwell before testing is not a reliable strategy for chlamydia.

The more useful question is: how long after potential exposure should you test? The window period for chlamydia — the time between infection and when a test can reliably detect it — is generally one to two weeks. If you’ve had a potential exposure, waiting at least two weeks before testing gives the most accurate result. If your first result is negative but you remain concerned, testing again after the full window period is reasonable.

How Is Chlamydia Tested?

Chlamydia is detected using a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), which identifies the DNA of the bacteria. It’s highly accurate and available through accredited pathology laboratories across Australia.

Sample types include:

• Urine sample — available for both men and women, and the sample type used by TestSmart for at-home genital chlamydia testing

• Throat swab — required if you’ve had oral sex and want to test for throat chlamydia

• Rectal swab — required if you’ve had anal sex and want to test for rectal chlamydia

An important point: genital testing alone will miss throat and rectal infections entirely. If these sites are relevant to your sexual history, they need to be tested separately. In practice, many GP visits result in a urine test only, because throat and rectal swabs are rarely offered without prompting. At-home testing with TestSmart includes all relevant sample types based on your health questionnaire responses.

Who Should Get Tested for Chlamydia?

Australian sexual health guidelines recommend chlamydia testing for:

• Anyone who has had a partner change or new sexual partner in the past 12 months

• Anyone with multiple current partners

• Anyone under 30 who has ever been sexually active (chlamydia is most prevalent in this age group)

• Anyone who has been notified that a partner has tested positive

• Anyone who is pregnant

• Anyone experiencing symptoms of genital infection

As a general rule, if you’re sexually active with new or multiple partners, annual testing is a reasonable minimum. Every three to six months is more appropriate if you have multiple partners or don’t consistently use condoms.

What Complications Can Untreated Chlamydia Cause?

Chlamydia is straightforward to treat when caught early. Left untreated, it can cause serious and sometimes permanent complications.

• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) — in people with a uterus, untreated chlamydia can spread to the fallopian tubes and ovaries, causing chronic pelvic pain, scarring, and infertility. PID can develop without any symptoms of the original chlamydia infection.

• Infertility — repeated or untreated infection can cause scarring that blocks the fallopian tubes. This is a leading preventable cause of infertility in Australia.

• Ectopic pregnancy — scarring from chlamydia increases the risk of a fertilised egg implanting outside the uterus, which is a medical emergency.

• Epididymo-orchitis — in people with testes, untreated chlamydia can spread to the epididymis, causing pain, swelling, and fertility complications.

None of this is meant to cause alarm — most chlamydia cases are caught and treated without any lasting effects. The point is that treatment is easy; the hard part is knowing you need it.

How Is Chlamydia Treated?

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection treated with antibiotics. Two options are commonly used in Australia:

• Azithromycin — a single dose, taken in one go

• Doxycycline — a seven-day course, taken twice daily

Both are highly effective when taken as directed. Current Australian guidelines favour doxycycline for most cases, though your prescribing doctor will advise based on your situation.

You should avoid sex for seven days after starting treatment, and until any recent partners have also been tested and treated. 

While a test of cure is not routinely required by Australian guidelines for most people, TestSmart recommends a follow-up test four weeks after treatment has been completed to confirm the infection has cleared — no earlier than four weeks, to avoid a false positive result from residual chlamydia DNA. A further retest at three months is also recommended, as re-infection is common.

Should You Tell Your Partners?

Yes. If you test positive for chlamydia, any sexual partners from the past six months should be notified so they can be tested and treated. This is important both for their health and to prevent you from being reinfected.

Partner notification doesn’t have to be a difficult conversation. Your doctor can help, and there are anonymous notification services available in Australia — including Let Them Know (letthemknow.org.au) — which allows you to notify partners by text or email without disclosing your identity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get chlamydia without having penetrative sex?

Yes. Chlamydia can be transmitted through anal sex, oral sex, and sharing sex toys. Penetrative vaginal sex is the most common route of transmission but not the only one.

Can chlamydia go away on its own?

No. Chlamydia requires antibiotic treatment to clear the infection. 

Can I get reinfected after treatment?

Yes. Treatment clears your current infection but provides no immunity. If you have sex with an untreated partner or a new partner who has chlamydia, you can be reinfected. This is why a repeat test three months after treatment is recommended.

How accurate are self-collect at-home chlamydia tests?

At-home self-collect chlamydia tests that use NAAT technology and process samples through a NATA-accredited laboratory are as accurate as clinic-based testing — the same methodology is used regardless of where the sample is collected. Accuracy depends on correct sample collection, which is why clear instructions matter.

The Bottom Line

Because most people with chlamydia have no symptoms, regular testing is the only reliable way to know your status. A test is a simple urine sample or swab. Treatment is a single antibiotic dose or a short course. The barrier to testing has never been lower.

If you’re sexually active and haven’t tested recently, you can order an at-home kit at testsmart.com.au — collect at home, post to the lab, and receive your results securely online with GP oversight throughout.