Which doctor will perform the tests?
Various doctors can be consulted in case of a Chlamydia infection. Women can go to their gynaecologist or alternatively to a dermatologist (dermatologist). Dermatologists are also very familiar with sexually transmitted diseases and their treatment.
Men can also consult a dermatologist. Another option for men is to see a urologist. Which doctor is ultimately chosen is an individual decision. If you are already being treated by a gynaecologist or a urologist, it is advisable to consult them.
The duration of the test results
The time required to obtain a result may vary slightly depending on the test procedure. If a rapid test is used, it takes about 15 minutes. Other tests take a few days and may vary depending on the laboratory that evaluates the test.
The cost of the test
It is not possible to make a general statement about the cost of the test. The costs depend on the test procedure and on the laboratory that produces the evaluation. The costs are usually between 30€ and 100€.
To get an exact figure, you should ask your doctor. The costs of the test are covered by health insurance for young women up to the age of 25. If you want to do the test after the age of 25, you will unfortunately have to pay the costs yourself. An exception to this is if a doctor has ordered the test. If the doctor believes that the disease is caused by Chlamydia, the test will also be paid for by the health insurance company.
How safe is such a test?
The safety of the test depends on the procedure that has been selected. A rapid test purchased online is not as reliable as a test procedure performed in a laboratory. If you suspect a chlamydial infection and the rapid test is still negative, it is still recommended that you consult a doctor.
If the test result is positive, you should see a doctor anyway, as a Chlamydia infection requires antibiotic treatment. The cultivation of the bacteria and the examination of the nucleic acid (nucleic acid amplification test) are procedures with a high sensitivity and specificity and can be considered very safe. An examination of the blood with an antibody detection test is also a safe procedure.
However, it must be remembered that antibodies are not formed until a few days after infection and the test can be negative, especially during this time. . It is quite possible that the test procedures give a false result.
Especially with immunological detection methods, the test can be false negative. The body needs a few days to produce the antibodies during an infection. For this reason, infections can be overlooked, especially in the initial phase.
Even when a rapid test is carried out, the pathogens can be overlooked, so that these procedures can also be false negative. However, the cultivation of the bacteria (so-called cell culture) and the nucleic acid amplification test are procedures that hardly ever give false results. They are very reliable methods.
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