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 covers the symptoms of chlamydia, who should be screened, how testing works, whether chlamydia is curable, what chlamydia treatment involves, and where to get tested in San Diego. It draws on the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021), later CDC updates, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), California law and San Diego County reporting.

Key takeaways

The CDC says most people with chlamydia have no symptoms, so a test is the only way a clinician can tell what is going on.
Chlamydia is curable with antibiotics prescribed by a clinician.
The CDC and USPSTF recommend yearly screening for sexually active women 24 and younger, and for older women with higher chances of exposure. The CDC also recommends at least yearly screening for men who have sex with men.
Testing uses a urine sample or a swab, called a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). It is quick and usually painless.
After treatment, the CDC recommends retesting about 3 months later, because repeat infection is common.
Sexual partners need testing and treatment too. California law allows clinicians to provide partner treatment through expedited partner therapy (EPT).
In San Diego, free and low-cost testing is listed at the LGBT Community Center, Family Health Centers of San Diego, the County sexual health clinic and Planned Parenthood.

What chlamydia is and how it spreads
Symptoms of chlamydia
Who should be screened, and how often
How chlamydia testing works
Is chlamydia curable? Treatment explained
Partners, retesting and prevention
Chlamydia in San Diego: numbers, clinics, costs and your rights
Sources

What chlamydia is and how it spreads

Chlamydia is caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis. Because it is bacterial, antibiotics can clear it.

How it passes between people

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

It can also pass from a pregnant person to a baby during vaginal birth. This is one reason pregnancy care includes screening.

Where in the body it can be found

Chlamydia can infect the cervix, urethra, rectum and throat. Which sites matter depends on the kinds of sex a person has. That affects testing, because a urine test alone does not check the throat or rectum.

What it is not

Chlamydia does not come from toilet seats, shared towels, hugging or sharing food. Having it says nothing about a person's character. It is a common infection, and a clinic visit is a routine way to deal with it.

Symptoms of chlamydia

The most important fact about the symptoms of chlamydia is that there are often none. The CDC states that most people with chlamydia have no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they may show up weeks after exposure, or not at all.

Symptoms cannot confirm or rule out chlamydia. Many other conditions cause the same signs, including other STIs, urinary tract infections and yeast infections. Only a test, read by a clinician, can tell what is behind them.

Symptoms in people with a vagina or cervix

The CDC lists these possible signs:

Unusual vaginal discharge
Burning or pain when urinating
Bleeding between periods or after sex
Pain during sex
Lower belly or pelvic pain

Symptoms in people with a penis

The CDC lists these possible signs:

Discharge from the penis
Burning when urinating
Pain or swelling in one or both testicles

Symptoms in the rectum and throat

Chlamydia in the rectum may cause pain, discharge or bleeding, though many people notice nothing. The CDC notes that chlamydia in the throat usually causes no symptoms.

Why symptoms are an unreliable guide

Because so many infections are silent, waiting for symptoms means many infections go unfound. A person can pass chlamydia on without knowing they have it. This is why screening is built around who may have been exposed, not around who feels unwell.

What can happen without treatment

The CDC explains that untreated chlamydia can lead to health problems, and that treatment prevents them.

In women: the infection can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can lead to long-lasting pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and difficulty becoming pregnant.
In men: the infection can inflame the tube behind the testicle (epididymitis), which may cause pain and fever. The CDC notes that serious long-term complications are less common in men.
In babies: a baby born to a person with untreated chlamydia can develop an eye infection or pneumonia.
In any gender: the CDC notes that having an STI such as chlamydia can raise the chance of getting HIV if exposed.

None of this means harm has already happened. It means testing and treatment are worth doing early.

When to contact a clinician sooner

Pelvic or testicular pain, fever, pain with urination, unusual discharge or bleeding, or a partner who has been diagnosed with an STI are all good reasons to contact a clinic. Severe pain or feeling very ill is a reason to seek urgent care.

Who should be screened, and how often

Screening means testing people who have no symptoms. Because chlamydia is so often silent, national guidance recommends routine screening for groups with higher chances of exposure.

CDC recommendations

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend:

Yearly chlamydia screening for all sexually active women under 25.
Yearly screening for sexually active women 25 and older who have risk factors, such as a new partner, more than one partner, or a partner with an STI.
Screening for pregnant women at their first prenatal visit, with more testing later in pregnancy depending on age and risk.
Screening at least once a year for sexually active men who have sex with men, at each body site where they have had sex. More frequent screening, such as every 3 to 6 months, is recommended for those at higher risk, as the CDC describes.
Screening for transgender and nonbinary people based on the body parts they have and the kinds of sex they have, not on gender identity alone.

USPSTF recommendations

The USPSTF recommends screening for chlamydia in sexually active women 24 years or younger, and in older women who are at increased risk. It gives this a Grade B rating. For men, the USPSTF says there is not enough evidence to weigh the benefits and harms of routine screening. That is a statement about the evidence, not a statement that men should not be tested. A man who has symptoms, a partner with an STI or other concerns can still ask for a test.

Reasons to test outside the usual schedule

A new sexual partner
A partner who tells you they tested positive for an STI
Symptoms
A condom that slipped or broke
Starting or continuing PrEP or doxy-PEP, where clinicians typically include STI testing in routine visits

Anyone can ask a clinician which tests make sense for their situation. The clinician, not this guide, decides what is right for you.

How chlamydia testing works

Testing is simple. The CDC recommends nucleic acid amplification tests, or NAATs, as the preferred way to test for chlamydia. A NAAT looks for the genetic material of the bacterium and is very sensitive.

What samples are used

Urine: you provide a first-catch urine sample in a cup.
Vaginal swab: the CDC says this is the preferred sample for women. It can be collected by a clinician, or by the patient in a private room.
Rectal swab: used if there has been receptive anal sex.
Throat swab: used if there has been oral sex, when the clinician advises it.

Tell the clinician what kinds of sex you have had. You do not need to explain or justify anything. The information just helps them pick the right sites to test.

How long results take

Turnaround varies by clinic and lab. Some clinics call with results, and some use an online portal. Ask when you are tested how and when you will hear back, and how to reach the clinic if you do not.

How soon after exposure to test

Timing after a possible exposure is a question for the clinic. The tests are designed to find the bacteria, and a clinician can advise whether to test now, test again later or both. If you have symptoms or a known exposure, it is reasonable to contact a clinic promptly instead of waiting.

What a result means

A negative NAAT result means the test did not find chlamydia in the sample. A positive result means it did, and your clinician will set up treatment. Either way, a clinician is the right person to explain what a result means for you, including whether further testing is useful.

Testing for other infections at the same visit

Chlamydia and gonorrhea often get tested together, and many clinics also offer HIV, syphilis and hepatitis C testing. The CDC recommends that people diagnosed with one STI be offered testing for others. Ask what is included, because panels differ between clinics.

Confidentiality

Clinics treat STI visits as confidential health care. If you are using insurance, ask how billing statements and results are sent, since explanation-of-benefits mail can go to the policyholder. Community clinics that offer free or sliding-scale testing can often avoid that issue.

Is chlamydia curable? Treatment explained

Yes. Chlamydia is curable. The CDC states that chlamydia can be cured with the right antibiotics, prescribed by a clinician. This is true for bacterial STIs generally, and it stands in contrast to HIV, herpes and HPV, which are not curable but are treatable or manageable.

What chlamydia treatment involves

Treatment is an antibiotic prescription from a clinician. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) name doxycycline as the recommended first-choice antibiotic for most adults and adolescents. Other antibiotics are alternatives, and a clinician may choose one based on your situation. During pregnancy, for example, a different antibiotic is used. The clinician decides the medicine, how long you take it and how to take it, so follow their directions exactly.

Please do not use leftover antibiotics or a friend's prescription. Taking the wrong medicine, or stopping early, can leave the infection in place.

What to expect after starting treatment

Symptoms, if you had them, usually improve, but the CDC advises that you should still finish the full course.
The CDC advises avoiding sex until treatment is complete and any symptoms have gone. Your clinician will give you the exact timing for your medicine.
Tell your sexual partners so they can be tested and treated. Otherwise, you can be reinfected.

Allergies, other medicines and side effects

Tell the clinician about allergies, other medicines you take, and whether you could be pregnant. If you have side effects or cannot take the prescribed medicine, call the clinic. They can often offer an alternative.

Pregnancy

The CDC recommends that pregnant people with chlamydia be treated, and retested about 4 weeks after treatment to confirm it worked, then again within 3 months. A prenatal clinician will guide this.

Treatment is not the same as protection

Being cured of chlamydia does not make a person immune. You can get it again from a new or untreated partner. That is why retesting and partner treatment matter.

Doxy-PEP and chlamydia

In 2024 the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis, or doxy-PEP. It recommends clinicians discuss doxy-PEP with gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and transgender women, who have had a bacterial STI in the past 12 months. Doxy-PEP is a medicine a clinician prescribes to be taken after sex, and the CDC reports it lowers the chance of getting syphilis and chlamydia, with a smaller effect on gonorrhea. It is a prevention tool, not a treatment for an existing infection, and it needs a clinician's prescription and follow-up STI testing. The Night Clinic at Hillcrest Family Health Center lists DoxyPEP among its services.

Partners, retesting and prevention

Telling partners

The CDC recommends that anyone with a positive chlamydia test tell recent sexual partners, so they can be tested and treated. For the CDC, this generally means partners from the 60 days before symptoms started or before the positive test. If you had no recent partner in that window, the most recent partner should be told.

These conversations can feel awkward. You can keep it short and factual: you tested positive for chlamydia, it is treatable, and you would like them to get tested. Clinics can often help with this, and some health departments offer anonymous notification services. Ask your clinic what it offers.

California and expedited partner therapy

California law helps here. Under California Health and Safety Code section 120582, a physician who diagnoses chlamydia, gonorrhea or another specified STI may provide antibiotics to the patient's sexual partners without examining them. The law also covers nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives and physician assistants. When the partner's name is not known, the prescription is marked as expedited partner therapy, or EPT. The statute protects providers who comply from malpractice and discipline claims, except in cases of intentional misconduct, gross negligence or reckless activity.

EPT does not replace a partner's own clinic visit. A partner who has symptoms, who is pregnant, or who is unsure should still be seen. Ask your clinician whether EPT is available for your partners.

Retesting at about 3 months

The CDC recommends that people treated for chlamydia be retested about 3 months after treatment. This is because repeat infections are common, often from a partner who was not treated, and repeat infections raise the chance of complications such as PID. If a retest is not possible at 3 months, the CDC says to test whenever the person next seeks care in the first year.

The CDC does not routinely recommend a test of cure for non-pregnant adults treated with the recommended antibiotics. A test too soon after treatment can show leftover genetic material from bacteria that are no longer alive. That is why timing matters, and why a clinician should set it.

Lowering the chance of getting chlamydia

Condoms, used correctly each time, lower the chance of getting or passing chlamydia, according to the CDC. Barriers for oral sex can also help.
Regular testing with partners, and talking openly about results, helps both people.
Not sharing sex toys, or covering them with a new condom for each partner, can help.
For some people, a clinician may discuss doxy-PEP as described above.

No method removes all chance of infection, and no one has to be perfect with prevention to deserve care. Testing is part of looking after your health, and it works alongside other methods.

Chlamydia in San Diego: numbers, clinics, costs and your rights

What the local numbers show

Times of San Diego, reporting data compiled by the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HIV, STD and Hepatitis Branch, said San Diego County recorded 16,414 chlamydia cases in 2024. That was down 7.4 percent from 17,720 in 2023. The same report counted 6,021 gonorrhea cases in 2024, down 9.5 percent from 6,651 in 2023, and 309 cases of primary and secondary syphilis, down 35.8 percent from 481.

These are county figures, not city-only counts. The article did not show a rate per 100,000 people, so none is given here. Case counts reflect who was tested and reported as well as how many infections exist, which is one more reason regular screening matters. The same report noted 31 congenital syphilis cases in 2024, a reminder of why prenatal STI care matters. For newer or more detailed figures, check with the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.

Where to get tested

The clinics below are the ones with published details. Hours, fees and walk-in rules can change, so call before you go. For a fuller local list, see our guide to STD testing in San Diego, where to get tested and what it costs.

Clinic	Address and phone	What is published
San Diego LGBT Community Center (The Center)	3909 Centre Street, San Diego, CA 92103; 619-692-2077	CDC's NPIN listing says no fee for services and lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, rapid HIV and rapid hepatitis C testing, plus PrEP navigation. It lists Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with a note to call for STD and HIV testing hours. It says appointments are not required, but a news report gives a separate appointment contact, so confirm by phone. Eligibility: contact the organization.
Hillcrest Family Health Center (daytime clinic), Family Health Centers of San Diego	4094 4th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103; (619) 515-2300 for appointments, (619) 515-2545 for information	Lists STI screening and treatment, HIV services, PrEP and PEP. Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The page says walk-ins are welcome and that fees may be waived or insurance enrollment assisted.
The Night Clinic at Hillcrest Family Health Center	4094 4th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103; (619) 515-2545 (the page also lists (619) 515-2300 as the appointment line)	Monday to Thursday, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. The page offers free, confidential HIV testing and low-cost STI tests, with STI screening and treatment, PrEP, PEP and DoxyPEP. Walk-ins welcome per the page. Free parking.
County of San Diego Central Public Health Center (Southeastern Live Well Center), sexual health clinic	5101 Market St, San Diego, CA 92114; (619) 229-5400	CDC's GetTested listing says it offers a free STI test and a free HIV test, accepts insurance, Medicaid and Medicare, and charges based on income. It lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes and hepatitis testing. The suite number differs between sources, so confirm it when you call. The listing says an appointment is required, while other county material suggests walk-ins, so call first. Hours are not published in the listing.
Planned Parenthood College Avenue Sarah Weddington Center	4575 College Ave, San Diego, CA 92115; (888) 743-7526	CDC's GetTested listing says an appointment is not required and lists insurance, Medicaid and sliding-scale payment, with chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and herpes tests and rapid HIV testing. Hours are not published in the listing.

Official pages: The Night Clinic, Hillcrest daytime clinic, the County sexual health clinic listing on CDC GetTested, the LGBT Community Center listing on CDC NPIN and the Planned Parenthood listing on CDC GetTested. The CDC's GetTested tool can also search by ZIP code. The County of San Diego publishes a sexual health services page, which we could not read in full when preparing this guide, so check it directly for current clinic details.

What it costs

Costs vary. The Center's CDC listing says services carry no fee. Family Health Centers describes free and confidential HIV testing and low-cost STI tests, and says fees may be waived. The County clinic listing says it charges based on income and accepts insurance, Medicaid and Medicare. Planned Parenthood's listing mentions insurance, Medicaid and a sliding scale. None of these listings gives a specific price for a chlamydia test, so ask when you call. It is fine to say you are uninsured or cannot pay full price.

At-home and mail-in options

Family Health Centers of San Diego lists at-home or mail-in testing programs called TakeMeHome and Don't Think, Know on its prevention page. Eligibility and cost are not stated there. For a positive at-home result, the page lists (619) 876-4462. A positive or unclear result should always be followed by a clinician visit for treatment.

Treatment in San Diego

If a test is positive, the same clinics that screen can also treat. Family Health Centers lists STI screening and treatment at both its daytime and night clinics. Tell the clinic about partners, and ask about expedited partner therapy and when to retest.

Minors and consent in California

California Family Code section 6926 lets a minor who is 12 or older consent to diagnosis and treatment of an infectious, contagious or communicable disease that must be reported to the local health officer, or of a related sexually transmitted disease, and to care related to preventing an STD. The statute says parents are not liable for payment. The Guttmacher Institute lists no parental notification requirement for California, and the statute text does not mention notification. If privacy is a concern, ask the clinic how bills and test results are handled.

Questions to ask when you call

Do I need an appointment, or can I walk in?
What will it cost, and is there a sliding scale or fee waiver?
Which infections and body sites will be tested?
How and when will I get results?
If the result is positive, can I be treated at this clinic?
Is partner treatment (EPT) available?

Frequently asked questions

Can chlamydia go away on its own?

The CDC does not recommend waiting. Untreated infection can persist and cause complications, and a person can pass it on while it lasts. A clinician can arrange testing and treatment.

Is chlamydia curable if I have had it before?

Yes. Each infection can be treated, though repeat infections are common and raise the chance of complications. That is why retesting and partner treatment are recommended.

Can I get chlamydia from oral sex?

Yes, the CDC says it can be found in the throat, though it usually causes no symptoms there. Tell the clinician so they can choose the right swab.

Does a negative result mean I never need another test?

No. A result reflects that sample at that time. New partners or exposures can change things, and national guidance recommends regular screening for some groups.

Will I have to talk to my parents or partner?

You do not have to tell parents if you are 12 or older and seeking STI care in California, based on the statute above. Telling partners is recommended so they can get care, and clinics can help with that.

Chlamydia: Symptoms, Testing and Treatment in San Diego