Chlamydia is currently treated by antibiotics, which are highly effective at curing chlamydia.
The current first-line treatment to cure chlamydia involves either macrolide or tetracycline antibiotics. Typically this consists of receiving either a single high-dose of antibiotic azithromycin or completing an entire 7-day course of doxycycline taken twice daily. If you are suspected of having LGV, you might need to be treated for longer.
If you cannot take those antibiotics due to allergies or another reason, your healthcare provider may prescribe alternative quinolone antibiotics taken for seven days like Levofloxacin.
Chlamydia is highly contagious, so if you've had contact with someone who has chlamydia or suspects having it, it's important to get tested and treated as quickly as possible. As the majority of cases do not show any symptoms, regular testing by a healthcare provider to confirm the diagnosis is essential.
If you have tested positive for Chlamydia, it is recommended that you get re-tested four to six weeks after treatment to ensure the chlamydia has been cured and continue with regular screening every three to six months afterwards.
Treatment for chlamydia can usually be administered on-site at sexual health clinics, at your healthcare provider’s clinic, or through a pharmacy.
Treatments and antibiotics therapies for chlamydia are free for all individuals in Canada (even those without healthcare insurance).
While antibiotics are an effective way to cure chlamydia, it's important to abstain from sexual contact for 7-days after your last dose of the antibiotic and/or a follow-up STI screening by your healthcare provider confirms the chlamydia infection is no longer present.
Re-infection from previous sexual partners is also possible if you have received treatment for chlamydia and your partner hasn't (or vice-versa).
Your healthcare provider and their team will provide advice around this in the event you are exposed or test positive for chlamydia.
If chlamydia symptoms remain after initial treatment, contact your healthcare provider as you may require additional treatment or different antibiotics.
The only way to know if the treatment was effective is to get tested again to confirm the chlamydia infection has been successfully treated (i.e. test of cure).
If the infection remains after receiving treatment, your healthcare provider will recommend a different course of antibiotics, after which you may need to get tested again to confirm the infection cleared.
If you have tested positive for chlamydia, get re-tested four to six weeks after treatment to ensure the chlamydia cures (i.e. test of cure).
