Oral Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea Test Kits

Oral chlamydia and oral gonorrhoea are STIs. They are often thought of as either genital or anal infections, but chlamydia and gonorrhoea can also infect the mouth or throat.

You can catch oral chlamydia and gonorrhoea through unprotected oral sex with someone who already has the infection, either from the genitals or anus. Oral gonorrhoea can also be passed on through kissing, although this is rare.

➤ Learn more about how chlamydia is spread.

What are the symptoms of oral chlamydia?

Most people won’t get symptoms when they have oral chlamydia. Oral chlamydia symptoms are not common and it’s not always clear when you have this STI. If you do get oral chlamydia symptoms, they may include:

• a sore throat
• swollen tonsils or lymph nodes
• redness in the mouth or throat
• mouth or lip sores
• pain in the mouth or throat
• bumps on the tongue
• tiredness
• fever
• white spots at the back of the throat

Sometimes oral chlamydia symptoms are mistaken for a common cold, as symptoms are very similar. If you notice cold symptoms (or any other symptoms listed above) around 1 to 3 weeks after having unprotected oral sex, it’s recommended to take a test.

What are the symptoms of oral gonorrhoea?

Most people don’t get gonorrhoea symptoms. Oral gonorrhoea symptoms are not common so it can be difficult to detect. If you do notice oral gonorrhoea symptoms, they may include:

• redness in the throat or mouth
• fever
• sore throat
• swollen lymph nodes

Just like oral chlamydia, oral gonorrhoea can be mistaken for many common conditions, such as cold or flu. The only way to know for sure if you have an STI is to take an oral gonorrhoea test.

You can take an oral chlamydia and gonorrhoea test at home with an STI test kit from ASDA. After completing an online form and ordering a test, the kit will be sent to your home. Follow the test instructions and swab your throat before sending the sample to a lab for testing. Your results will be ready to view in your online account within a few days.

What are the benefits of an oral chlamydia and gonorrhoea test at home?

There are a number of benefits to a chlamydia and gonorrhoea home test compared to testing in a clinic or GP surgery, including:

• no need to make an appointment in advance
• no need to travel to a testing location
• no need for a face-to-face consultation
• take your test anytime, such as outside GP surgery office hours
• get speedy results 2 to 3 days after your sample reaches our lab
• get in-depth advice on your results and access to a doctor any time through your account

How to buy oral chlamydia and gonorrhoea test kits online?

Ordering an oral (mouth) chlamydia and gonorrhoea test kit online from Asda Online doctor is simple:

1. Start your order by completing a short questionnaire
2. Log in or create an account
3. Place your order
4. One of our team will check your order
5. If your order is approved, your test kit will be dispatch to your chosen address

If you’re not sure an oral chlamydia test kit or an oral gonorrhoea test kit is the right one for you, you can choose a chlamydia test kit or a chlamydia and gonorrhoea test kit instead, depending on your symptoms. You can also message one of our doctors through your online account for free if you aren’t sure which test to order.

A swab of the area is the most accurate way to check for oral chlamydia and gonorrhoea. Once sent to the lab, a special technology is used called nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT). This makes copies of any detected bacteria or found on the swab, if any. The infection can then be identified, which will be confirmed by a doctor before results are given.

How accurate are oral chlamydia and gonorrhoea tests?

Both throat chlamydia and gonorrhoea tests are more than 97% accurate according to numerous studies. Taking an oral STI test properly and at the right time will improve its accuracy. Research has also found that throat swabs taken at home are just as effective as those done by a medical professional.

Your test kit will arrive packaged, including easy-to-follow instructions. Inside will be a swab and sample bottle, which can be used to swab the back of your throat. After you use the test, pack it up and send it to the labs using the prepaid label. Your results should be with you within 1 to 3 days after the lab receives your sample.

Step-by-step guide for using your kit

Read the instructions in your kit and follow these steps to take your sample:

1. Before using the test kit, wash your hands thoroughly. Do the test on a steady, flat surface, so that you don’t spill any liquid.
2. Remove the swab from the packet, making sure not to touch the cotton end.
3. Swab the back of your throat firmly, touching both sides several times.
4. Open the sample tube and insert the swab.
5. Snap the swab using the score-line so the cotton end stays inside the tube. You can throw the other end of the stick away when you’re finished.
6. Screw the lid back on the sample tube tightly.
7. Attach any labels and fill out your information, such as the date of the swab.
8. Place your samples into the wallet provided.
9. Your sample is ready to be sent to the labs. It should come with a prepaid label, so all you need to do is seal your sample in the envelope and put it in a post box.
10. Your test results will be available online within 1 to 3 days of the lab receiving it. Your doctor can explain the results in more detail and will let you know if you need treatment.

Here are the instructions as they come in your test kit. If you’re not sure about taking your sample you can message one of our doctors from your account.

The best time to test for oral gonorrhoea and chlamydia is at least 14 days after unprotected sex. If you test too early, your results may be inaccurate. You can take the test before the 14 day mark, but this means you should take another test after 14 days to confirm your results. You can also take a test any time if you get symptoms of either infection.

What are the first signs of oral chlamydia?

Most people show no signs of chlamydia, whilst others may notice a sore throat, tiredness, or swelling at the lymph nodes or tonsils. There are no specific first signs, as symptoms can slightly differ for each person. It’s best not to wait for signs of an infection if you think you may have caught it. Take a test 14 days after you think you were infected, even if you don’t see any sign.

What is usually the first sign of oral gonorrhoea?

A sore throat can be one of the first signs of gonorrhoea, but most people have no symptoms at all. If you get throat redness, swollen lymph nodes or a fever, these can be the first sign of oral gonorrhoea. Like with chlamydia, it’s best not to wait for signs to appear and instead test 14 days after you think you may have been infected.

If you test through Asda Online Doctor, you will receive your test results through your patient account, which will tell you whether you have tested positive or negative. If your results say you are positive for oral chlamydia or gonorrhoea, this means the test has found the infection in your throat. Our doctors will send you clear advice on what to do next and recommend a treatment if it is required. If your results are negative, this means the test found no traces of the infection.

Your test may also say that you are positive for one infection and negative for the other. It’s rare to get both infections at the same time.

How long does oral chlamydia and gonorrhoea test take?

Ordering the test through ASDA Online Doctor takes as little as 5 minutes. Your test can be sent out with your chosen delivery, such as standard or next-day (depending on the time of day you order). Taking the test takes only a few minutes and once your sample has reached the lab, you should receive your results within 1 to 3 days. Overall, this will take a few days to a week.

If you take a test with the NHS, you may need to wait for an appointment or visit the next walk-in session at your local sexual health clinic. Walk-ins can be busy so unless you get there early, you may not be seen that day. Results usually take a week or 2, depending on how busy the clinic and labs are. This means you can be waiting 2 to 3 weeks for a test and your results.

Negative test results

A negative test result means there was no infection found on the swab. You probably don’t have oral chlamydia or gonorrhoea, unless you failed to do the swab properly or you took it too early (less than 2 weeks after unprotected sex).

Positive test results

A positive test result means the swab found the infection in your throat, whether this is gonorrhoea or chlamydia. It is very rare to get both infections at the same time, although both have similar symptoms. Your doctor can then refer you to get gonorrhoea treatment or prescribe chlamydia treatment.

It’s unlikely to get a false positive result, but you can take another test if you want to.

After a positive test result, you should:

• get appropriate treatment, then take another test to make sure treatment has worked
• let your sexual partner(s) know, as they should get tested too
• avoid having sex or kissing until you have finished treatment and are no longer infectious
• if you do have sex, use protection like condoms to prevent further infection

What is the best treatment for oral gonorrhoea and chlamydia?

As chlamydia is caused by bacteria, the standard treatment is an antibiotic called doxycycline. This kills the bacteria to get rid of the infection. Doxycycline is 95% to 100% effective, making it the best treatment for chlamydia. Other antibiotics can be used to treat oral chlamydia if doxycycline is not suitable, such as azithromycin.

Oral gonorrhoea is caused by bacteria, so antibiotics are also needed to get rid of the infection. You usually need to get treatment at a sexual health centre, as the antibiotic is injected into your buttocks or thigh. Oral gonorrhoea can be more difficult to treat, so you may need more than one dose of antibiotics. You can request oral antibiotics if you prefer.

Preventing oral chlamydia and gonorrhoea

The only sure way to prevent oral chlamydia and gonorrhoea is to avoid oral sex. If you don’t want to do that, you can also:

• use a condom or dental dam when having oral sex around genitals or the anal area
• get tested before and after a new sexual partner, and ask them to do the same

Chlamydia is the most common STI in the UK and gonorrhoea is the second most common. As both often have no symptoms, they can go undetected, increasing the chances of infection between sexual partners. Both STIs can be passed through unprotected sex. You can get a chlamydia or gonorrhoea infection in your genitals, anus or throat.

Oral chlamydia is rare. Data is limited, but this literature review from 2016 found that around 1.7% of women and 1.6% of men who tested positive for chlamydia had oral chlamydia.

How long does chlamydia last?

Once you get treatment, oral chlamydia should clear up within a week or two. Without treatment, chlamydia can last months or even years. In a small number of people, chlamydia can go away on its own, but it's not worth waiting to see if it does. If left untreated, it can spread to other parts of your body and cause health complications.

Is oral gonorrhoea rare?

Oral gonorrhoea is rare. According to this study, the percentage of people who tested positive for oral gonorrhoea were as follows:

• between 2% to 11% of men who have sex with men
• between 3% to 7% of heterosexual men
• between 2% to 10% of women

This is in comparison to the percentage of people who tested positive for other types of gonorrhoea (genital or anal).

How painful is oral gonorrhoea?

For most people, it is not painful. If you do get symptoms, you may notice a sore throat or swollen glands, which may feel uncomfortable or slightly painful. Treatment should ease symptoms within a few days, but you can also take painkillers if you need to.