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 infections in the United States, and it is common in Dallas too. It is also one of the easiest to treat. The hard part is that many people never notice anything is wrong.

This guide covers what chlamydia is, the symptoms of chlamydia when they do appear, how testing works, and whether chlamydia is curable. It also explains chlamydia treatment, what to do about partners, and where to get tested in Dallas. It uses guidance from the CDC, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and Dallas County Health and Human Services.

Key takeaways

Many people with chlamydia have no symptoms, according to the CDC. A test is the only way to find out.
The CDC and USPSTF recommend yearly screening for sexually active women 24 and younger, and for older women with higher chances of infection. The CDC also recommends screening for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.
The standard test is a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) on a urine sample or a swab.
Chlamydia is curable with antibiotics prescribed by a clinician.
The CDC recommends testing again about three months after treatment, because getting chlamydia again is common.
Texas allows partner treatment without a visit through administrative rules, and any minor can consent to STI testing and treatment.
In 2022, Texas DSHS counted 22,073 chlamydia cases in Dallas County, a rate of 848.7 per 100,000 people.

In this guide

What chlamydia is and how it spreads
Symptoms of chlamydia
Who should be tested, and how often
How chlamydia testing works
Is chlamydia curable? Chlamydia treatment explained
Partners, retesting and prevention
Chlamydia testing and care in Dallas
Sources

What chlamydia is and how it spreads

Chlamydia is an infection caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis. The CDC lists it as the most commonly reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the country.

Anyone who has sex can get it. It has nothing to do with being careless or having done something wrong. It is a common infection, and it is treated like other common infections.

How chlamydia is passed on

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

A pregnant person who has chlamydia can also pass it to the baby during vaginal birth. This is one reason the CDC recommends screening during pregnancy for people at higher risk.

Chlamydia does not spread through casual contact. The CDC says you cannot get it from toilet seats, hugging, sharing food or swimming pools.

Where in the body it can live

Chlamydia can infect the cervix, the urethra (the tube urine passes through), the rectum, the throat and sometimes the eyes. Which sites are affected depends on the kind of sex a person has had. This matters for testing, because a urine test does not check the throat or rectum.

Why it matters to treat it

Chlamydia is easy to treat, but it can cause lasting problems if it stays in the body for a long time. The CDC describes these problems for people with a cervix and uterus:

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection of the reproductive organs
Long-lasting pelvic pain
Ectopic pregnancy, a pregnancy outside the uterus
Difficulty becoming pregnant

In people with a penis, the CDC says untreated chlamydia can sometimes cause epididymitis, which is painful swelling near the testicle. Rarely, it can lead to reactive arthritis, which affects the joints, eyes and urinary tract.

These outcomes are the reason clinicians encourage testing even when a person feels fine. They are also the reason treatment works best when it is not delayed.

Symptoms of chlamydia

The CDC says most people with chlamydia have no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they usually start several weeks after sex with a partner who has chlamydia. They can be mild enough to pass for something else.

Because symptoms are unreliable, nobody can tell whether they have chlamydia from how they feel. Only a test can answer that, and a clinician can help you read the result.

Symptoms in people with a vagina

The CDC lists these possible symptoms:

Unusual vaginal discharge, which may have a strong smell
A burning feeling when urinating
Pain in the lower belly
Pain during sex
Bleeding between periods or after sex

Many of these also occur with other conditions, such as a urinary tract infection or a yeast infection. A clinician can sort out which one is happening.

Symptoms in people with a penis

The CDC lists these possible symptoms:

Discharge from the penis
A burning feeling when urinating
Pain or swelling in one or both testicles, which is less common

Symptoms in the rectum, throat and eyes

Chlamydia in the rectum can cause pain, discharge or bleeding, though the CDC notes it often causes no symptoms. Chlamydia in the throat usually causes none. If the bacteria reach the eye, they can cause redness, pain or discharge.

The CDC also describes a form of chlamydia called lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV). It can cause rectal pain, discharge, bleeding or swollen glands in the groin. A clinician may order extra testing if LGV is a concern.

Symptoms in newborns

The CDC says babies born to a parent with untreated chlamydia can develop eye infections or pneumonia. Pediatric clinicians watch for these and treat them.

When to contact a clinician

Reach out to a clinician or clinic if you notice any of the symptoms above, if a partner tells you they have chlamydia, or if you are unsure and want to know. You do not need symptoms to get tested. A person who has been told they have a positive result should also follow up about treatment promptly.

Pain in the lower belly, fever with pelvic pain, or swelling and severe pain in a testicle should be checked quickly. Urgent care or an emergency department can help if a clinic cannot see you soon.

Who should be tested, and how often

Because the symptoms of chlamydia are so often missing, testing guidelines are based on who is most likely to be affected, not on how someone feels.

Women and people with a cervix

The USPSTF recommends screening for chlamydia in all sexually active women who are 24 years old or younger. It also recommends screening for older women who are at increased risk. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) say the same: yearly screening for sexually active women under 25, and for women 25 and older who have risk factors.

The CDC describes risk factors as having a new partner, having more than one partner, having a partner with more than one partner, or having a partner who has an STI.

Pregnant people

The CDC recommends that pregnant people under 25, and older pregnant people at increased risk, be screened for chlamydia. A clinician may repeat testing later in pregnancy for people at continued risk.

Texas law (Health and Safety Code Section 81.090) requires syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B testing during prenatal care. That list does not include chlamydia, so it is worth asking your prenatal provider directly about a chlamydia test.

Men who have sex with men

The CDC recommends at least yearly screening for chlamydia in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, at each site of contact. That can include the urethra, the rectum and the throat. The CDC says people with more than one partner or other higher-chance situations may benefit from screening every three to six months.

Transgender and gender diverse people

The CDC recommends that clinicians base screening on a person's anatomy and sexual practices, not only on gender identity. A transgender man who has a cervix, for example, would follow the guidance for people with a cervix. Telling your clinician which body parts are involved in sex helps them choose the right tests.

Men who have sex with women, and others

The USPSTF has said there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against routine screening in men who have sex only with women. That is a statement about the research, not a statement that these men are not at risk. A man with symptoms, a partner who has chlamydia, or other concerns can ask a clinician for a test at any time.

People with HIV

The CDC recommends that sexually active people with HIV be screened for chlamydia at their first HIV care visit and at least yearly after that. Clinicians may test more often depending on risk.

Anyone with a partner who has tested positive

Anyone who has had sex with a person who was diagnosed with chlamydia should talk with a clinician. This applies whether or not they have symptoms. The CDC advises that partners be evaluated and treated, as covered below.

How chlamydia testing works

Chlamydia testing is quick, and for most people it does not involve a blood draw.

The NAAT test

The CDC recommends a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) for chlamydia. A NAAT looks for the genetic material of the bacteria. The CDC describes it as the most sensitive type of test available for this infection.

What the sample looks like

The kind of sample depends on your body and the kind of sex you have had. The CDC lists these options:

Vaginal swab. The CDC says this is the preferred sample for women, and you can collect it yourself in a private room.
Urine. This is the usual sample for men. It also works for women, though the CDC says it may be slightly less sensitive than a vaginal swab.
Rectal swab. This is used for people who have had receptive anal sex.
Throat swab. This is used for people who have had oral sex. Not every clinic tests the throat, so ask in advance.

If you are not sure which sites to test, a clinician can ask a few private questions and suggest the right ones. You can say as much or as little as you are comfortable with.

Chlamydia is usually tested alongside other infections

Clinics often test for gonorrhea at the same visit, because the two infections can occur together and the same samples can check for both. Depending on your situation, a clinician may also suggest HIV, syphilis and hepatitis C tests. A single visit can cover several infections.

How soon after sex to test

The CDC does not publish one fixed window period for chlamydia the way it does for HIV. Testing very soon after a possible exposure may miss an infection that has not built up yet. A clinician can advise on timing for your situation. If you test early and still have concerns, ask whether to repeat the test later.

Getting results

How quickly results come back depends on the clinic and the lab. Ask when you will hear and how, whether by phone, a patient portal or a follow-up visit. If your result is positive, the clinic will talk with you about treatment. In Texas, chlamydia is a notifiable condition, which means labs and clinicians report cases to public health within one week, according to the Texas DSHS notifiable conditions list for 2026.

Testing at home

Texas DSHS runs a program called Test for Texas that mails a free self-testing kit for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia to anyone in Texas aged 13 or older. No insurance is needed. Orders go through testfortexas.org, which DSHS describes on its free at-home testing page. If a self-test is positive, you will still need a clinician to prescribe treatment.

Is chlamydia curable? Chlamydia treatment explained

Yes, chlamydia is curable. The CDC says it can be cured with the right antibiotics, prescribed by a clinician. Treatment works for the infection itself, which is why finishing the medicine matters.

Antibiotics cannot undo scarring or damage that already happened, which is why earlier treatment is better. But they clear the bacteria and lower the chance of those problems developing.

What chlamydia treatment looks like

Under the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021), the recommended first choice for most adults and adolescents is the antibiotic doxycycline. Azithromycin is an alternative that clinicians use in some situations, including pregnancy. Your clinician decides which medicine is right for you, based on your health history, other medicines you take and whether you are pregnant.

Treatment details, such as how much to take and for how long, come from your clinician and pharmacist. Do not use leftover antibiotics or medicine from another person. The wrong medicine can fail to clear the infection and delay care.

Taking the medicine as directed

Take the medicine exactly as your clinician instructs. Skipping doses can leave bacteria behind. If you have side effects or trouble getting the medicine, call the clinic or the pharmacy. They would rather hear from you than have you stop.

Treatment in pregnancy

Chlamydia in pregnancy is treatable. The CDC recommends a different medicine choice for pregnant people than for other adults, and it advises a follow-up test about four weeks after treatment. A prenatal provider can arrange this.

Treatment for infections that spread

If chlamydia has led to PID or epididymitis, clinicians use a broader treatment plan. Some people need more than one medicine or a longer course, and some need a follow-up visit soon after starting. A clinician should guide this.

Do I need a follow-up test right after treatment?

For most people, the CDC does not recommend a test right after treatment to confirm the cure. A test done too soon can detect leftover genetic material from bacteria that are no longer alive, which can be confusing. Pregnancy is the main exception, as described above.

The CDC does recommend a retest later, because a new infection is common. That is covered in the next section.

How a clinician may use doxy-PEP

In 2024 the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline taken after sex, called doxy-PEP, to lower the chance of getting certain bacterial STIs. The CDC recommends that clinicians discuss it with gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and with transgender women, who have had a bacterial STI in the past 12 months. The CDC says it lowers chlamydia and syphilis infections, though the benefit is smaller for gonorrhea.

Doxy-PEP is not a substitute for testing. It is something to bring up with a clinician who can decide whether it fits your health history. The Dallas County Sexual Health Clinic page does not list doxy-PEP among its services, so ask any clinic whether it prescribes it.

Is chlamydia treatment safe for teens and young adults?

Yes, chlamydia is commonly treated in teens and young adults, who have some of the highest rates of infection. Texas law supports this. Under Texas Family Code Section 32.003, a minor of any age can consent to diagnosis and treatment of a reportable infectious disease, which includes chlamydia. Parent or guardian consent is not required.

The same section allows a physician to tell a parent or guardian about the treatment, with or without the minor's consent. It permits this but does not require it. A teen who wants to know how a particular clinic handles that can ask before the visit.

Partners, retesting and prevention

Treating the infection is one step. Treating partners and testing again are what keep it from coming back.

Telling partners

Telling a partner can feel awkward. It helps to keep it plain: you tested positive for chlamydia, it is treatable, and they should get tested and treated. Some people send a short text, and some ask the clinic how it can help. You are not alone in this, and chlamydia is common enough that most clinicians have had this conversation many times.

The CDC advises that anyone who had sex with the person in the 60 days before symptoms started or before the test was taken should be evaluated and treated. If it has been longer than 60 days since the last sexual contact, the CDC advises treating the most recent partner.

Treatment for partners without a visit (EPT)

Expedited partner therapy (EPT) lets a clinician prescribe treatment for the partners of a patient, even if the clinician has not examined those partners. The CDC's Legal Status of EPT in Texas page explains how it works in the state.

Texas has no EPT statute. The legal basis comes from administrative rules, according to the CDC:

A Texas Medical Board rule says no practitioner-patient relationship is required for a physician to prescribe STD medications for the partners of the physician's established patient.
Advanced practice registered nurses may order or prescribe medications for partners of an established patient, but they are not required to.
Pharmacists may dispense partner prescriptions without a physician-partner relationship, and the partner's name does not need to be on the label.

In practice, this means a clinician in Dallas may be able to prescribe for your partner. The CDC notes that EPT is not a replacement for a partner seeing a clinician, since partners may also need testing for other infections. Ask your clinician whether they offer EPT for your situation.

Avoiding sex until treatment is complete

The CDC advises that people avoid sex until treatment is finished and their partners have been treated, to prevent passing the infection back and forth. Your clinician will tell you how long to wait for your particular treatment.

Retesting about three months later

The CDC recommends that everyone treated for chlamydia be tested again about three months after treatment. This is not because treatment failed. It is because getting chlamydia again, often from an untreated partner, is common, and repeat infections raise the chance of complications.

If you cannot retest at three months, the CDC says to retest whenever you next see a clinician within the following 12 months. Pregnant people have a separate follow-up, described earlier.

Having chlamydia once does not protect you

The body does not build lasting protection against chlamydia. You can get it again, even after a successful cure.

Lowering the chance of infection

The CDC describes several ways to lower the chance of getting chlamydia:

Using condoms correctly every time you have vaginal, anal or oral sex
Using dental dams for oral sex
Getting tested regularly, and asking partners about their testing
Talking openly with partners about testing and protection
Talking with a clinician about doxy-PEP if it applies to you

Condoms lower the chance, but the CDC does not describe them as a complete guarantee, since chlamydia can also spread through areas a condom does not cover. Regular testing is what catches infections that cause no symptoms.

Chlamydia testing and care in Dallas

Dallas has several places that offer chlamydia testing and treatment, including county, nonprofit and community health centers. For a longer list with details, see the guide to STD testing in Dallas, where to get tested and what it costs.

What the numbers show

Texas DSHS reports in its STD Epidemiologic Profile for 2022 that Dallas County had 22,073 chlamydia cases that year, a rate of 848.7 per 100,000 people. For the same year, DSHS reports 156,131 cases in all of Texas, a rate of 519.9 per 100,000. The county rate was higher than the state rate.

DSHS notes that its Dallas surveillance figures are county-level, not city-only. The most recent county-level figures DSHS has published are for 2022. These are reported cases, and since many infections cause no symptoms, the true number of infections is likely higher than the number reported.

These figures are not a reason for worry. They are a reason for routine testing to be ordinary.

Dallas County Health and Human Services Sexual Health Clinic

Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) runs a Sexual Health Clinic at 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway, 1st Floor, Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75207. The phone number is (214) 819-1819.

The clinic page lists testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, HIV, hepatitis C and mpox. It also lists treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis, and PrEP and nPEP for HIV prevention.

A few things to know before going:

Appointments are required. The clinic does not take walk-ins, though it offers same-day or next-day appointments.
Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The phone line opens at 7:45 a.m. On the second Thursday of each month, the clinic closes at 3:30 p.m.
The clinic page directs people who only need routine testing without symptoms to the DCHHS Mobile Medical Unit.
The county page does not list fees. The CDC GetTested listing says Medicaid is accepted and to contact the organization about eligibility, so call the clinic to ask about costs.

Resource Center (Nelson-Tebedo clinic)

Resource Center, Dallas's LGBTQ+ community center, offers HIV and STI testing at 2603 Inwood Rd., Dallas, TX 75235. The phone number is 214.528.2336. Its page says to request an appointment online and does not mention walk-ins.

The Resource Center page lists the gonorrhea and chlamydia test as free with a $40 office visit. Its rapid HIV test, early HIV RNA test and syphilis test are listed as free. The page does not give a sliding scale or an insurance statement, so ask the clinic about those.

Prism Health North Texas

Prism Health North Texas, a nonprofit community health center, offers HIV and STI testing and treatment. The Oak Lawn Health Center is at 2801 Lemmon Ave, Suite 200, Dallas, TX 75204. The phone number for all of its locations is 214-521-5191.

Prism lists other Dallas locations on its site: Oak Cliff Health Center (219 Sunset Ave #116-A, 75208), Uptown Physicians Group (2801 Lemmon Ave #400, 75204), South Dallas Health Center (4922 Spring Ave, 75210) and Worth Street Health Center (4004 Worth St #100, 75246).

Prism says its sliding fee rates are based on household income and size, that it accepts Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP and most private insurance, and that it does not deny care based on ability to pay. Its site says appointments should be scheduled in advance, with same-day and walk-in appointments for urgent issues depending on availability.

Community health centers and walk-in options

The CDC GetTested listings describe these Dallas options. Hours and details are not in those listings, so call ahead.

AHF Healthcare Center - Dallas, 7777 Forest Ln Ste B 122, Dallas, TX 75230, (972) 383-1060. The listing shows a sliding scale and says an appointment is not required.
Neighborhood Medical Center, 5917 Belt Line Rd, Dallas, TX 75254, (972) 726-6464. The listing says insurance is accepted, a sliding scale is available, and an appointment is not required.
Martin Luther King Jr Family Clinic (Foremost Family Health Centers), 2922-B MLK Jr Blvd, Dallas, TX 75215, (214) 426-3645. The listing shows insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and a sliding scale.
Parkland Health, Southeast Dallas Health Center, 9202 Elam Rd, Dallas, TX 75217, (214) 266-1600. The listing shows a free HIV test, plus insurance, Medicaid and a sliding scale.

These details come from the CDC GetTested listings rather than from each clinic's own page, so confirm hours, services and fees by phone before you go.

For teens and young adults

The Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine Clinic at Children's Health Specialty Center Dallas, 2350 N Stemmons Fwy, Ste F5200, Dallas, TX 75207, (214) 456-9099, lists chlamydia among the conditions it treats. Its page says a parent or guardian must give general consent for a minor to be treated at the clinic, even though it also notes that minors can consent to STD testing and treatment under Texas law. A teen who wants care without a parent involved can ask other clinics about their consent process before booking.

Using the CDC locator

The CDC runs a national locator at gettested.cdc.gov. You can enter a ZIP code and see testing sites with their listed services. It is a good way to find a location that is close to home or work.

A short checklist for your visit

Call ahead to ask about appointments, cost and which infections are included.
Ask whether your insurance, Medicaid or a sliding scale applies.
Tell the clinician which kinds of sex you have had, so the right sites are tested.
Ask when and how you will get your results.
If you test positive, ask about treatment for partners and about retesting in three months.

Is it confidential?

Clinics follow medical privacy rules, but chlamydia is reportable to public health in Texas, as noted above. A positive result is reported to the health department, which uses it to track infections and support partner services. If you have questions about how your information is used, the clinic or the Dallas County health department can explain.

Sources

The USPSTF screening recommendation for chlamydia and gonorrhea (2021) and the CDC's 2024 doxy-PEP guidance were also used for the screening and prevention sections.

Chlamydia: Symptoms, Testing and Treatment in Dallas