Chlamydia
The most common bacterial STI in the UK — and one of the most treatable. A complete guide to symptoms, testing, and BASHH 2025 treatment.
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Chlamydia: Treatment, Testing & Symptoms — Complete UK Guide
Chlamydia is the UK’s most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection, with over 230,000 new diagnoses each year. Most people who have it experience no symptoms at all — which is why testing, rather than waiting for signs of illness, is the cornerstone of chlamydia management. Untreated, it can cause serious long-term complications including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. The good news: it is completely curable with a short course of antibiotics.
This page brings together Access Doctor’s complete chlamydia resource hub, with clinical guides written and reviewed by our GMC-registered GP covering every stage of the patient journey — from understanding the infection and getting tested, to choosing the right treatment and protecting your partners.
Updated guidance — May 2026: Following BASHH’s 2025 guideline update, doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 7 days is now the first-line treatment for chlamydia in the UK. Azithromycin 1 g remains an effective second-line option. All guides on this page reflect current BASHH 2025 recommendations.
Get Chlamydia Treatment Online — Same-Day Consultation
Tested positive? Access Doctor is a GPhC-registered pharmacy (#9011198). Our pharmacist independent prescribers will assess your case and issue a prescription for doxycycline or azithromycin with same-day dispatch and discreet next-day delivery across the UK.
Start Chlamydia Consultation →Chlamydia Guides
Choose the guide most relevant to your situation. Each is written by Dr Abdishakur M Ali (GMC no. 7041056) and reviewed against current BASHH and NICE guidance.
Chlamydia: Symptoms, Causes & Complications
What chlamydia is, how it spreads, symptoms in women and men, the asymptomatic majority, and long-term complications including PID and infertility.
Read guide →Chlamydia Testing: Home Kits, Clinics & Next Steps
How to test for chlamydia in the UK, home kits vs clinic, how to collect a sample correctly, window periods, and what a positive result means.
Read guide →Doxycycline for Chlamydia: First-Line Treatment Guide
Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 7 days — how it works, dosing instructions, side effects, contraindications, and getting it online.
Read guide →Azithromycin for Chlamydia: Dosing, Safety & Online Access
Azithromycin 1 g single dose — when it’s used, how it compares to doxycycline, side effects, and who should not take it.
Read guide →Chlamydia Symptoms in Women
Signs of chlamydia specific to women: cervicitis, discharge, pelvic pain, post-coital bleeding, and why most women have no symptoms at all.
Read guide →Chlamydia Complications: PID, Infertility & Epididymitis
What happens when chlamydia goes untreated — pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal infertility, ectopic pregnancy, reactive arthritis, and more.
Read guide →Chlamydia in Pregnancy: Risks & Safe Treatment
Risks to mother and baby, safe antibiotic options in pregnancy (doxycycline is contraindicated), test of cure requirements, and obstetric guidance.
Read guide →How to Tell Your Partners You Have Chlamydia
Practical guidance on partner notification — who to tell, the lookback period, anonymous notification options, and why it matters clinically.
Read guide →About Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, an obligate intracellular pathogen that infects the cells lining the urogenital tract, rectum, and throat. It is the most commonly diagnosed bacterial STI in the UK, with the highest rates consistently found in people aged 15–24.
The majority of infected people — approximately 70% of women and 50% of men — experience no symptoms. This makes chlamydia uniquely dangerous among STIs: it spreads silently between partners, persists for months or years without detection, and can cause irreversible reproductive damage before anyone realises infection was present. Annual testing for sexually active people under 25 is the single most effective public health intervention for controlling its spread.
Transmission
Spread through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex, and from mother to baby during childbirth. Not transmitted by kissing, touching, or shared facilities.
Diagnosis
NAAT test on a urine sample (men) or vaginal swab (women). Home test kits are as accurate as clinic tests when used correctly.
Treatment
Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 7 days (first-line, BASHH 2025) or azithromycin 1 g single dose (second-line). Completely curable.
If untreated
PID, tubal infertility, ectopic pregnancy (women); epididymo-orchitis (men); reactive arthritis. Complications can develop without any symptoms.
Treatment at a Glance
Both antibiotics below are effective and safe. The choice between them depends on your individual circumstances, site of infection, and whether doxycycline is contraindicated (e.g. in pregnancy). Your prescriber will advise on the most appropriate option following a clinical assessment.
| Antibiotic | Regimen | BASHH 2025 status | Key note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doxycycline | 100 mg twice daily for 7 days | First-line | Preferred for urogenital and rectal infection. Contraindicated in pregnancy. |
| Azithromycin | 1 g as a single oral dose | Second-line | When doxycycline is contraindicated. Not recommended for rectal chlamydia. |
| Erythromycin | 500 mg four times daily for 14 days | Alternative | Used in pregnancy or macrolide/tetracycline intolerance. Lower convenience. |
After treatment: Abstain from sex for 7 days after completing treatment. Notify all recent sexual partners (past 6 months). Retest at 3 months to detect reinfection. A routine test of cure is not required for non-pregnant patients who complete a full doxycycline or azithromycin course for urogenital chlamydia.
Tested Positive? Get Treatment Today
Access Doctor is a GPhC-registered online pharmacy (#9011198). Complete a short clinical assessment online — our pharmacist independent prescribers will select the right antibiotic for your circumstances and arrange same-day dispatch with discreet next-day delivery.
Start Consultation →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the treatment for chlamydia in the UK in 2025?
The current first-line treatment per BASHH 2025 guidance is doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 7 days. Azithromycin 1 g as a single dose is the second-line option, used when doxycycline is contraindicated — for example in pregnancy, tetracycline allergy, or where adherence to a 7-day course is a concern. Both antibiotics are highly effective for urogenital chlamydia.
Can I get chlamydia treatment online without visiting a GP?
Yes. GPhC-registered online pharmacies staffed by pharmacist independent prescribers can legally conduct clinical assessments and issue NHS-equivalent prescriptions for chlamydia treatment remotely. Access Doctor (GPhC #9011198) offers same-day consultations with discreet next-day delivery. A clinical assessment is always required before prescribing — any service that dispenses antibiotics without one is not operating legally.
How long does chlamydia take to clear after treatment?
For doxycycline, microbiological clearance is expected within the 7-day course. For azithromycin, the single dose maintains therapeutic tissue concentrations for 7–10 days, during which the infection clears. Symptoms, if present, typically improve within 3–5 days of starting treatment. You should abstain from sex for 7 days after completing your course to avoid passing on the infection before it has fully cleared.
Do I need to test before starting treatment?
A confirmed positive NAAT test result is strongly recommended before starting antibiotic treatment. This ensures the diagnosis is correct, guides antibiotic selection, and creates a clinical record. If your sexual partner has tested positive and your prescriber deems treatment appropriate based on your history, some services may treat epidemiologically (without your own positive test) — discuss this with your prescriber.
Is chlamydia serious if left untreated?
Yes. Untreated chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women, leading to fallopian tube scarring, infertility, and increased ectopic pregnancy risk. In men, it can cause epididymo-orchitis and contribute to male infertility. These complications can develop silently — even in people who never experienced any symptoms of the original infection. Early diagnosis and treatment prevents all of these outcomes.
How is chlamydia different from gonorrhoea?
Chlamydia is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis; gonorrhoea by Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Both are bacterial STIs that can infect the urogenital tract, rectum, and throat, and both are frequently asymptomatic. They require different antibiotic treatments. Co-infection is common, which is why comprehensive STI screening — testing for both — is recommended after unprotected sex with a new or unknown partner.
References
- BASHH. UK National Guideline for the Management of Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis. Updated 2025. Available at: www.bashh.org/guidelines
- UKHSA. Sexually transmitted infections and gonorrhoea: annual data tables. 2024. Available at: gov.uk/government/statistics
- NICE. Chlamydia — uncomplicated genital: Clinical Knowledge Summary. 2025. Available at: cks.nice.org.uk
- NHS. Chlamydia. NHS.uk. 2023. Available at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/chlamydia/
Medical disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Chlamydia treatment requires a valid prescription following clinical assessment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional. In a medical emergency, call 999.
