Treat
Treat the chlamydia infection according to Australian guidelines
Treatment Options
For uncomplicated urogenital infections, the Australian STI Management Guidelines recommend:
-
- Doxycycline 100mg per oral, twice daily for 7 days (first line treatment)
OR
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- Azithromycin 1g per oral, stat (in specific situations, see the guidelines below)
Please refer to the Australian STI Management Guidelines or Therapeutic Guidelines for further information.
Other STI testing may be appropriate for a patient with a chlamydia infection. See the RACGP Red Book Section 6.2 Sexually Transmissible Infections for risk assessment and testing recommendations.
Test of cure versus testing for reinfection
A test of cure is not routinely recommended except for pregnant people or anorectal infections. A test of cure should not be performed prior to 4 weeks post treatment due to the potential to detect residual dead chlamydia.
A test for reinfection is recommended 3 months post treatment to detect reinfection. Reinfection is most common within three months of the initial infection, and poses increased risk for complications. Click here for more information about organising a test for reinfection.
For more information about test of cure versus testing for reinfection, see the Australian STI Management guidelines.
Sex after treatment
During the treatment consultation, advise:
- No sexual contact following commencement of treatment for seven days
- No sexual contact with partners from the past 6 months until they have been tested and treated as required
Quick tips
Patients might have questions about the infection. See below for some potential questions and answers.
Notification
Chlamydia is a notifiable disease in all Australian states/territories. The diagnosing clinician and/or the pathology labratory is responsible for notification, depending on the jurisdiction. Click on your state below for further information about chlamydia notification in your jurisdiction. Please note that information regarding notification is correct as of June 2022. Please check with your relevant Health Department for further updates.
State | Responsibility for notification |
|---|---|
Doctors, authorised nurse practitioners, pathologists and hospital managers | |
Pathology laboratories | |
Medical staff and pathology laboratories | |
Pathology laboratories | |
Medical practitioners and pathology laboratories | |
Pathology laboratories | |
Pathology laboratories | |
Medical practitioner, nurse practitioner, pathology laboratories |
Management
Considering PID in people with female reproductive organs, discussing partner management and organising retesting are important next steps. You can read more about each of these steps by clicking on the links above, or you can navigate to those pages at any time by clicking on the squares at the top of the page.
Key guidelines for chlamydia case management
For who and when to test, including risk assessment and testing for other STIs:
RACGP Red Book Guidelines for Preventive Activities in General Practice
For information about the entire chlamydia case management pathway, including how to treat chlamydia:
