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 Georgia, and it is also one of the easiest to treat. The hard part is that it often gives no signal at all. This guide explains what the CDC says about symptoms, who should be tested, how the test works, what treatment looks like, and where to get tested in Atlanta for free or at low cost.

In this guide

What chlamydia is and what symptoms can look like
Who should be tested, and how often
How chlamydia testing works
Is chlamydia curable? Treatment explained
Partners, retesting and preventing it again
Where to get tested in Atlanta
Atlanta numbers, privacy, pregnancy and young people
Sources

Key takeaways

The CDC says most people with chlamydia have no symptoms, so a test is the only way to know.
Chlamydia is curable with antibiotics prescribed by a clinician.
The CDC and the USPSTF recommend yearly screening for sexually active women 24 and younger, and for older women with risk factors. The CDC also recommends regular screening for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.
Testing is usually a urine sample or a swab. The CDC calls the most accurate tests NAATs.
The CDC recommends retesting about three months after treatment.
In Atlanta, AID Atlanta offers free chlamydia screening, and Fulton County Board of Health clinics use a sliding scale.

What Chlamydia Is and What Symptoms Can Look Like

Chlamydia is an infection caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis. The CDC says it spreads through vaginal, anal or oral sex, and it can pass from a pregnant person to a baby during birth. It can affect people of any gender or orientation.

You do not need to have many partners to get it. You also do not need to have done anything wrong. Chlamydia is common, and testing for it is routine health care.

Most infections have no symptoms

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) say that most people with chlamydia have no symptoms. That is why the symptoms of chlamydia are an unreliable guide. A person can have the infection for weeks or months without noticing anything.

This also means you cannot tell by looking or feeling whether you or a partner has chlamydia. Only a test can show that.

Symptoms of chlamydia that some people notice

When symptoms do appear, the CDC describes these patterns. Each one can also have other causes, so a symptom alone cannot confirm chlamydia.

In people with a vagina or cervix

An unusual vaginal discharge
Burning or pain when urinating
Bleeding between periods or after sex
Pain in the lower belly or during sex

In people with a penis

Discharge from the penis
Burning when urinating
Pain or swelling in one or both testicles

In the rectum or throat

Rectal pain, discharge or bleeding can happen after anal sex.
Throat infections usually cause no symptoms.

Symptoms, if they appear, often start one to three weeks after exposure, according to the CDC. Many people never notice any.

Why untreated chlamydia matters

The CDC explains that untreated chlamydia can spread within the body. In people with a uterus, it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can cause long-term pelvic pain, trouble getting pregnant and a higher chance of ectopic pregnancy.

In people with testicles, untreated chlamydia can cause painful inflammation of the tube behind the testicle, called epididymitis. A baby born to a person with untreated chlamydia can develop eye infections or pneumonia, per the CDC.

None of this is a reason for alarm. It is a reason to get tested, because the infection is curable when found.

When to see a clinician sooner

Some symptoms deserve prompt attention whatever the cause. These include pelvic or testicular pain, fever with belly pain, or symptoms during pregnancy. A clinician can examine you and decide which tests make sense. If you cannot get an appointment quickly, an urgent care or emergency department can evaluate severe pain.

Who Should Be Tested for Chlamydia, and How Often

Because chlamydia is often silent, screening means testing people who feel fine. Screening guidance comes from the CDC and from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

What the CDC and USPSTF recommend

Sexually active women 24 and younger: the CDC and the USPSTF both recommend screening every year.
Sexually active women 25 and older: the CDC and the USPSTF recommend yearly screening when there are risk factors, such as a new partner, more than one partner, or a partner who has other partners or has an STI.
Pregnant people: the CDC recommends screening for those 24 and younger and for older pregnant people at increased risk. It recommends retesting in the third trimester for those at ongoing risk.
Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men: the CDC recommends screening at least once a year at each body site where sex occurs. For those at higher risk, the CDC says screening every three to six months may be appropriate.
Transgender and gender-diverse people: the CDC advises screening based on the anatomy a person has and on their sexual behavior, not on gender identity.
People with HIV: the CDC recommends screening at the first visit and at least yearly after that.

What about men who have sex with women only?

The USPSTF has said there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against routine screening of men who have sex only with women. That is a statement about the evidence, not a statement that testing is unnecessary. Anyone can ask a clinician about testing, and a clinician can advise based on your situation.

Other reasons to get tested

A partner has told you they have chlamydia or another STI.
You have symptoms that could be chlamydia.
You are starting a new relationship and want a shared baseline.
You are taking HIV PrEP. Clinics that provide PrEP schedule STI testing at regular visits.
You are pregnant or planning a pregnancy.

The CDC also supports testing for other infections at the same visit, since gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV can occur together with chlamydia.

How Chlamydia Testing Works

NAAT: the standard test

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend nucleic acid amplification tests, or NAATs, for chlamydia. A NAAT looks for the genetic material of the bacterium. The CDC describes NAATs as the most sensitive tests available.

For a NAAT, the sample depends on your anatomy and the kind of sex you have:

Vaginal swab: the CDC lists this as the preferred sample for women. Many clinics let you collect it yourself in a private room.
First-catch urine: an option for people with a penis, and an acceptable option for women.
Rectal swab: for people who have receptive anal sex.
Throat swab: for people who have oral sex, where a clinician recommends it.

A urine test alone will not find an infection in the rectum or throat. If you have had sex that involves those areas, tell the clinician so the right samples are taken.

What the visit usually involves

Registration and a few health questions.
A short, private conversation about your symptoms and the sex you have had. This helps choose the right tests.
A urine sample or swab. Many people find it quick and painless.
Results from the lab, which may take a few days. The clinic will tell you how and when you will hear back.

If you have a negative result, that is the result for that sample on that day. A clinician can tell you whether a repeat test makes sense after any new exposure.

How soon after sex can you test?

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines do not give a single waiting time for chlamydia. Timing can affect how well any test works, so tell the clinician when your last possible exposure was. They can advise on whether to test now, test again later, or both.

Understanding your result

A positive result means the lab found genetic material from the bacterium. A clinician will explain what it means for you and what comes next. Treatment is straightforward, and clinics handle positive results every day.

A negative result means the test did not find the bacterium in that sample. If you have symptoms, or a partner has tested positive, tell the clinician even if your result is negative.

What about at-home tests?

Georgia and Fulton County public health sites do not describe a free at-home chlamydia test program. The Fulton County Board of Health's condom fit kit program supplies condoms, not tests. A clinic or health department visit is the route this guide covers. The CDC's locator at gettested.cdc.gov can also help you find sites near you.

Is Chlamydia Curable? Treatment Explained

Yes, chlamydia is curable

The question people ask most is whether chlamydia is curable. According to the CDC, it is. Chlamydia is a bacterial infection, and antibiotics prescribed by a clinician can clear it.

That is different from HIV, herpes and HPV, which are treatable and manageable but not curable. With chlamydia, the goal of treatment is to cure the infection.

What chlamydia treatment involves

Chlamydia treatment is a prescription. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) list recommended antibiotic options, and a clinician chooses among them. The choice depends on things like pregnancy, allergies, other medicines and the body site infected.

This guide does not list doses or schedules. Your clinician will give you exact directions, and it matters to follow them. If you are unsure how to take the medicine, ask the clinic or a pharmacist.

Some Atlanta sites treat on site. AID Atlanta says free treatment is available for reactive screening results. Fulton County Board of Health clinics list STI screening and treatment among their services.

What to expect while recovering

The CDC advises avoiding sex until treatment is finished and symptoms, if any, have gone. It also advises waiting until all partners have been treated.
Symptoms often improve within days, but finish the full course your clinician prescribed.
If symptoms continue or return, go back to the clinic. They can check whether something else is going on.

Chlamydia treatment in pregnancy

Pregnant people can be treated for chlamydia. The CDC guidelines list pregnancy-safe options, and a clinician will pick one. The CDC also recommends a follow-up test about four weeks after treatment in pregnancy, and another within three months.

Doxy-PEP is not treatment for an existing infection

You may have heard of doxy-PEP. In 2024 the CDC issued guidance on using the antibiotic doxycycline after sex to lower the chance of getting certain bacterial STIs. The CDC says clinicians can consider it for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and for transgender women, who have had a bacterial STI in the past year.

The CDC says doxy-PEP lowered chlamydia and syphilis rates in studies. It is a prevention option that a clinician prescribes after discussing your history. It does not replace testing, and it is not a way to treat a known infection. The Fulton County Board of Health lists DoxyPep among services at its 10 Park Place Health Center.

Partners, Retesting and Preventing Chlamydia Again

Telling partners

The CDC recommends that partners from the last 60 days be told so they can be tested and treated. If you had no partners in that period, the CDC says to tell your most recent partner. Telling someone is not easy, but it protects both of you. If it feels hard, a clinic or health department can help.

If a partner is not treated, they can pass chlamydia back to you after you are cured. This is a common reason for repeat infections.

Expedited partner therapy in Georgia

Expedited partner therapy, or EPT, lets a clinician give a prescription or medicine for a partner without examining that partner first. It is meant for partners who cannot easily get to a clinic.

The CDC's legal status page for Georgia cites Georgia Code Ann. 31-17-7.1 and Georgia Rules and Regulations 511-2-8-.01 (effective September 21, 2022) as the legal basis for EPT in the state. The Georgia Department of Public Health says EPT services can be located through local public health departments.

EPT is not suitable for everyone, and the CDC notes that an exam is always preferred when possible. Ask your clinician whether EPT is available for your situation. If it is not offered, your partner can still be tested and treated at a clinic.

Retesting at three months

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend retesting about three months after treatment. This applies to women and men alike, even when you believe your partners were treated. The point is not to check that treatment worked, since it usually does. It is that repeat infections are common, and they carry the same risks.

If you cannot test at three months, the CDC advises retesting whenever you next see a clinician within the following 12 months.

Ways to lower the chance of getting chlamydia

Use external or internal condoms correctly each time, as the CDC advises. They lower the chance of chlamydia but do not remove it.
Get tested regularly, and ask partners about their testing.
Talk to a clinician about PrEP or doxy-PEP if you may benefit.
Treat a partner's infection promptly so it does not pass back and forth.

These are options, not rules. Any approach that includes regular testing is a good one.

Where to Get Tested for Chlamydia in Atlanta

Atlanta has free and low-cost options. Most of the city lies in Fulton County, and part lies in DeKalb County. The Fulton County Board of Health serves Fulton County residents, and DeKalb Public Health serves the DeKalb portion of Atlanta. For a fuller, regularly maintained list, see our local testing list for Atlanta.

AID Atlanta Wellness Center

Address: 1438 W Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30309
Phone: (404) 870-7741 for STI testing; (404) 870-7700 general
Cost: AID Atlanta says free STI screenings for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are available, and free treatment is available for reactive screening results.
Walk-ins: AID Atlanta says walk-ins are welcome, with no appointment necessary.
Hours: testing Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, with last check-in at 5:30.
AID Atlanta testing page

Fulton County Board of Health clinics

The Fulton County Board of Health says its sexual health services include STI screening and treatment. Its Sexual Health page says that if you do not have insurance, fees can be charged on a sliding scale. It also says services may be available by walk-in or by appointment only, and that appointments are recommended. The page says clinics serve Fulton County residents ages 14 and up.

Clinic	Address	Phone	Hours listed
10 Park Place Health Center	10 Park Place S.E., 5th floor, Atlanta, GA 30303	(770) 520-7500	Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The last walk-in appointment is 3:00 p.m.
Adamsville Regional Health Center	3700 MLK Jr. Drive S.W., Atlanta, GA 30331	(770) 520-7323	Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Neighborhood Union Health Center	186 Sunset Avenue N.W., Atlanta, GA 30314	(770) 520-7351	The board's pages differ (Monday to Friday on one page, Wednesday to Friday on another). Call to confirm.

The Fulton County Board of Health lists walk-in service at 10 Park Place. For the other two clinics, its pages do not say whether walk-ins are accepted, so call ahead. Visit the Fulton County Board of Health sexual health page for current details. Its pages do not list a specific price for chlamydia testing, so ask the clinic about fees when you call.

Teen Health Clinic at Adamsville

The Fulton County Board of Health's Teen Health Clinic serves people ages 12 to 21 at 3700 MLK Jr. Drive S.W., Atlanta, GA 30331, phone 770-520-7323. It lists STI examinations among its services. It says fees are based on income and family size, and that no teen is turned away for inability to pay. See the Teen Health Clinic page.

Planned Parenthood East Atlanta Health Center

Address: 440 Moreland Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Phone: 404-688-9300
Services: STD testing and treatment.
Cost: the health center's page says insurance is not required and lists accepted insurers and self-pay options. It does not state a sliding scale.
Walk-ins: the page says walk-ins are welcome, and that an appointment is the surest way to be seen.
Hours (April 2026 listing): Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm; Tuesday and Thursday 10 am to 6 pm; closed Saturday and Sunday. Call to confirm before you go.
East Atlanta Health Center page

Finding other sites

The CDC's GetTested locator lists STI testing sites by ZIP code. Georgia DPH also lists a find-a-testing-site tool on its STD program page. If you live in the DeKalb portion of Atlanta, check with DeKalb Public Health for its services, since details were not available for this guide.

Tips for a smooth visit

Call first to confirm hours, walk-in policy and what to bring.
Ask what the visit will cost before you are seen, and ask about sliding scale or self-pay options.
Tell the clinician about all the places you have had sex, so the right samples are taken.
Ask about testing for gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV in the same visit.
Ask how and when results will reach you.

Atlanta Numbers, Privacy, Pregnancy and Young People

What the numbers say about Atlanta

Chlamydia is common in the Atlanta area. Georgia Department of Public Health OASIS data for 2023 show 10,599 reported chlamydia cases in Fulton County, a rate of 978.7 per 100,000 people. For DeKalb County, the same source shows 6,569 cases, or 854.9 per 100,000.

For comparison, the CDC's 2023 state ranking tables list Georgia's rate as 646.4 per 100,000, with 71,294 cases. Georgia DPH's 2024 data snapshot reports 66,884 cases statewide for 2024.

These figures count cases that were tested and reported. Because many infections have no symptoms, the number of people who have chlamydia is likely higher than the number reported. The numbers reflect how many people get tested as well as how many are infected, so a higher rate does not mean any one person is at fault.

Privacy and reporting

Georgia Department of Public Health says physicians, laboratories and other providers must report notifiable conditions. For chlamydia, the state's reporting table says providers report within seven days. Reporting goes to public health, and its purpose is tracking infections and helping partners get care. Ask the clinic how your information is handled and who can see it.

Young people and consent

Georgia law at O.C.G.A. 31-17-7 allows a minor who has, or says they have, a venereal disease to consent to care without a parent's or guardian's consent. The statute's definition of venereal disease, at O.C.G.A. 31-17-1, names syphilis, gonorrhea and chancroid. The Guttmacher Institute summarizes Georgia as letting minors consent to STI testing and treatment, and it notes that providers may notify a parent.

The statute also says a provider may, but does not have to, inform a parent, guardian or spouse. If this matters to you, ask the clinic about its practice before the visit. The statute text we reviewed does not name chlamydia, so a clinic can explain how it applies in your case.

Pregnancy and prenatal care

Under the Georgia HIV/Syphilis Pregnancy Screening Act (O.C.G.A. 31-17-4.2), prenatal providers must test for HIV and syphilis unless the patient refuses. The law does not mention chlamydia. The CDC separately recommends chlamydia screening in pregnancy for those 24 and younger and for older pregnant people at increased risk. Ask your prenatal provider whether chlamydia testing is part of your care.

Frequently asked questions

Can chlamydia go away on its own?

Chlamydia should not be left to resolve by itself. The CDC recommends treatment because untreated infection can cause lasting harm and can be passed to others.

Is chlamydia curable if I have had it before?

Yes. Having had chlamydia does not make you immune, and each infection can be treated. The CDC notes repeat infections are common, which is why retesting is recommended.

How long until I can have sex again?

The CDC advises waiting until treatment is finished and symptoms have gone, and until partners have been treated. Your clinician will give you the specifics for your prescription.

Does chlamydia affect fertility?

The CDC says untreated chlamydia can lead to PID, which can affect the ability to get pregnant. Chlamydia found and treated early is much less likely to cause these problems.

What if I cannot afford a visit?

Start with AID Atlanta, which says its chlamydia screening is free, or the Fulton County Board of Health, which says fees can be set on a sliding scale for people without insurance. Call and ask about costs before you go.

Getting tested is a practical step, and it takes little time. If you are in Atlanta, pick one of the sites above, call to confirm hours, and book a visit. You can also use gettested.cdc.gov to find more options.

Chlamydia: Symptoms, Testing and Treatment in Atlanta