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 sexually transmitted infections in the United States. It is also one of the easiest to treat once it is found. The hard part is that many people never notice anything wrong, so testing is how most cases are found.

This guide explains the symptoms of chlamydia, how testing works, whether chlamydia is curable, and what chlamydia treatment looks like when a clinician prescribes it. It also covers where to get tested in Las Vegas and what Nevada law says about minors and partner treatment.

Nothing here can tell you whether you have an infection. Only a test and a clinician can do that. What this page can do is help you decide what to ask for and where to go.

Key takeaways

Most people with chlamydia have no symptoms, according to the CDC. A test is the only way to find out.
Chlamydia is curable with antibiotics prescribed by a clinician.
The CDC and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommend yearly screening for sexually active women 24 and younger. They also recommend it for older women with risk factors.
The CDC recommends at least yearly screening for sexually active gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, at each site of sex.
The CDC recommends retesting about three months after treatment, even if a partner was treated too.
Partners need testing and treatment so the infection does not pass back and forth. Nevada permits expedited partner therapy, according to the CDC.
In Las Vegas, the Southern Nevada Health District offers free Express Testing for people without symptoms. Other clinics offer sliding-scale or low-cost testing.

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? Treatment explained
Partners, retesting and Nevada rules
Chlamydia in Las Vegas: local data and where to get tested

What chlamydia is and how it spreads

Chlamydia is an infection caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis. The CDC says it spreads through vaginal, anal or oral sex with a person who has it. It can also pass from a pregnant person to a baby during birth.

It can infect the genitals, the rectum and the throat. Anyone who has sex can get it, whatever their gender, orientation or number of partners. Having it says nothing about a person's character. It says only that bacteria were passed along, which happens to people in every kind of relationship.

A few points the CDC makes clearly:

A partner does not need to ejaculate for chlamydia to pass.
You can get chlamydia more than once. Having had it before does not protect you.
Condoms, used correctly each time, lower the chance of passing it. Open communication with partners and regular testing add more protection.

Why testing matters more than guessing

Because the infection is often silent, people usually cannot tell by how they feel. A person can have it for months without a sign. During that time they can pass it on without knowing.

Left untreated, chlamydia can cause real harm. The CDC describes the risks below.

In people with a uterus, it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can cause long-term pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and difficulty getting pregnant.
In people with a penis, it can occasionally cause painful inflammation near the testicles.
In newborns exposed during birth, it can cause eye infections and pneumonia.

These outcomes are largely preventable. Finding and treating chlamydia early is the reason screening exists.

Symptoms of chlamydia

The CDC states that most people with chlamydia have no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they may show up weeks after exposure. They can also be mild enough to mistake for something else.

Symptoms in people with a vagina or cervix

According to the CDC, symptoms can include:

An unusual vaginal discharge
Burning or pain when urinating
Pain during sex
Bleeding between periods or after sex
Lower abdominal or pelvic pain

Symptoms in people with a penis

The CDC lists:

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

Symptoms in the rectum and throat

Chlamydia in the rectum can cause pain, discharge or bleeding. It can also cause no symptoms at all. Chlamydia in the throat usually causes no symptoms. Because of this, a urine test alone does not check every site. A clinician can talk with you about which sites to test based on the kinds of sex you have.

Why the symptom list is not a diagnosis

Every symptom above can also come from other conditions. Gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, urinary tract infections and yeast infections can look similar. Symptoms alone cannot confirm or rule out chlamydia, and the reverse is also true. A lack of symptoms does not mean a test would come back negative.

If you notice any of these signs, a clinician can test you and sort out the cause. If you have symptoms, the free Express Testing described later in this guide is meant for people without symptoms. The Southern Nevada Health District sexual health clinic offers testing and treatment for people who do have symptoms, and walk-in visits are available until capacity is reached, according to the district.

Who should be tested, and how often

Screening means testing people who have no symptoms. Both the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) and the USPSTF recommend it for certain groups, because so many infections are silent.

Sexually active women 24 and younger

The USPSTF and the CDC recommend yearly chlamydia screening for sexually active women 24 and younger. This includes anyone with a cervix, so the guidance is relevant to many transgender men and nonbinary people as well. A clinician can help you decide what fits your body and history.

Women 25 and older with risk factors

The same recommendation covers older women at increased risk. The CDC lists risk factors such as a new sex partner, more than one partner, a partner who has other partners, or a partner with an STI. Past STIs also count. If any of these apply, ask a clinician about yearly screening.

Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men

The CDC recommends at least yearly screening for sexually active men who have sex with men. The test should cover the places where sex occurs, such as the urethra and the rectum. The CDC says more frequent testing, such as every three to six months, may be useful for people at higher risk. Examples include having multiple or anonymous partners.

People who are pregnant

The CDC recommends chlamydia screening at the first prenatal visit for pregnant people under 25 and for older pregnant people at increased risk. Retesting later in pregnancy may be advised for some. Untreated chlamydia can be passed to a baby at birth, so a prenatal clinician can advise on timing.

People with HIV, and people with a partner who tested positive

The CDC advises screening for sexually active people with HIV at their first visit and at least yearly after that. Anyone who learns a partner has chlamydia should be tested and, in many cases, treated. The CDC recommends that partners from the previous 60 days be evaluated.

Everyone else

Not every guideline names every situation. If you are not in a group above, you can still ask for a test. A clinician can discuss your partners, your history and your concerns. Wanting to know your status is a valid reason to test.

How chlamydia testing works

The standard test is called a nucleic acid amplification test, or NAAT. The CDC says NAATs are the most sensitive tests for chlamydia. They look for the genetic material of the bacteria in a sample.

What the sample looks like

Depending on your body and the kinds of sex you have, a sample may be:

A urine sample
A swab of the vagina, which the CDC notes is the preferred sample for people with a vagina. It can be collected by a clinician or by the patient in a private setting.
A swab of the rectum
A swab of the throat

None of these collections is meant to be painful. If you are unsure about a step, ask the clinic staff to walk you through it.

Is there a window period?

People often ask how soon after sex a test can find chlamydia. The CDC does not publish one single number for this that I can quote here. Testing very soon after an exposure may miss an infection that is still too early to detect. If you are worried about a recent exposure, ask a clinician when to test, and whether to test again later.

Getting results

Many clinics send NAAT samples to a laboratory, and results often take a few days. The exact timing depends on the clinic and the lab, so ask when you are tested. The Southern Nevada Health District's mail-in program states that results can be ready within 7 to 10 business days after the laboratory receives the specimen.

Testing without going into a clinic

The CDC runs a service at gettested.cdc.gov where you can enter a ZIP code to find nearby testing sites. It is a good first step if you are unsure where to start.

The Southern Nevada Health District also runs a program called Collect2Protect. It offers mail-in, self-collected gonorrhea and chlamydia kits to Nevada residents, along with at-home HIV self-tests. The district's page says the mail-in kits carry a fee and that insurance and Medicaid are not accepted. The page does not list a current price, so check with the district before ordering.

What about testing for other infections?

Chlamydia and gonorrhea often occur together, and many clinics test for both. Ask whether HIV, syphilis and others are included. Testing is a good time to talk about the full picture of what is available.

Is chlamydia curable? Treatment explained

Yes. Chlamydia is curable. The CDC states that it can be cured with the right antibiotics prescribed by a clinician. That is good news, and it is why finding it early matters.

What chlamydia treatment involves

Chlamydia treatment is a prescription antibiotic from a doctor, nurse practitioner or other licensed clinician. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) name doxycycline as the recommended first choice for most adults. Other antibiotics are used when doxycycline is not a good fit, for example during pregnancy. Which medicine is right depends on your health, allergies and whether you are pregnant. That decision belongs to the clinician, so this guide does not give doses or schedules.

Some practical points from the CDC:

Take the medicine exactly as the clinician instructs. Do not share it, and do not save it for later.
Stopping early or skipping doses can leave the infection in place.
Avoid sex until treatment is finished and the waiting period your clinician gives you has passed. The CDC advises waiting until treatment is completed, and for a period afterward. Partners also need to be treated before sex resumes, so the infection is not passed back.
Symptoms, if you had any, usually ease after treatment starts. Even if you feel better, finish the full course your clinician prescribed.

Treatment does not make you immune

Being treated cures that infection. It does not prevent a new one. If you have sex with a partner who still has chlamydia, you can get it again. That is why partner treatment and retesting matter, covered in the next section.

Treatment during pregnancy

Pregnant people with chlamydia should be treated, and a clinician chooses an antibiotic considered safe in pregnancy. The CDC also recommends a follow-up test about four weeks after treatment for people who are pregnant, to confirm the infection is gone. A prenatal clinician can explain what applies to you.

What if chlamydia was never treated?

If an infection went untreated for a long time, there is still reason to see a clinician. Antibiotics clear the bacteria, though they cannot undo scarring that has already happened. This is one more reason a test is better than waiting. If you are worried about past exposure, it is never too late to ask for one.

A word on doxy-PEP

In 2024 the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline taken after sex, called doxy-PEP. The CDC recommends that clinicians discuss it with gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and transgender women, who have had a bacterial STI in the past 12 months. Doxy-PEP lowers the chance of getting chlamydia, syphilis and, to a lesser degree, gonorrhea. It is not a treatment for an existing infection, and it does not replace testing. It requires a prescription. In Las Vegas, the Southern Nevada Community Health Center lists doxy-PEP among its sexual health preventive services. Call (702) 759-1700 to ask whether it fits your situation.

Partners, retesting and Nevada rules

Telling partners

Telling a partner is not easy, and it can feel awkward. The CDC encourages it because untreated partners can pass chlamydia back. A short, calm message works well. You can say that you tested positive for chlamydia and that you would like them to get tested and treated. Chlamydia is common and treatable, and you do not need to apologize for having it.

If talking directly feels hard, ask your clinician or the health district what help is available for reaching partners.

Expedited partner therapy in Nevada

Expedited partner therapy, or EPT, lets a clinician give a patient medicine or a prescription to take to a partner, sometimes without examining that partner first. According to the CDC's legal status summary for Nevada, EPT is permissible in Nevada as of March 16, 2009. The CDC cites Nevada Administrative Code sections 441A.200, 441A.490 and 441A.540 in that summary.

Permissible means a clinician may use it, not that every clinic does. Seeing a clinician in person is still better when a partner can do so, because a visit allows a full exam and testing for other infections. Ask your clinician whether EPT is an option in your case.

Retesting after treatment

The CDC recommends retesting about three months after treatment. This applies even when you are sure your partners were treated. Reinfection is common, and a repeat test catches it early. If you cannot test at three months, the CDC says to test whenever you next see a clinician within the following year.

Consent for minors in Nevada

Under Nevada Revised Statutes 129.060, a minor may give express consent to examination and treatment for any sexually transmitted disease, and to STD prevention services. The statute names no minimum age. This means a young person in Nevada can seek STI testing and care on their own consent. If you are a teen, the clinic can explain how its own billing and communication practices work.

Reporting to the health department

Chlamydia is a reportable condition in Nevada. Under Nevada Administrative Code 441A.040 and 441A.230, health care providers must report cases or suspected cases of genital chlamydia infection to the local health authority. This is routine public health work. It is how the district tracks trends and offers partner services. If you have questions about how your information is handled, ask the clinic or the Southern Nevada Health District.

Prenatal syphilis testing

This guide focuses on chlamydia, but Nevada law is worth a mention for people who are pregnant. Nevada Revised Statutes 442.010 requires a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit and again in the third trimester. Ask your prenatal clinician about chlamydia testing at the same time.

Chlamydia in Las Vegas: local data and where to get tested

What the local numbers show

Las Vegas is in Clark County, where the Southern Nevada Health District covers communicable disease. Here is what the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services' Office of State Epidemiology reported in its Nevada 2023 STD Fast Facts:

Area (2023)	Chlamydia cases	Rate per 100,000 people
Clark County	12,563	525.2
Nevada statewide	15,766	481.9

The same report lists a gonorrhea rate in Clark County of 241.1 per 100,000. These are cases that were diagnosed and reported. They do not include infections that were never tested for, which matters because chlamydia is so often silent.

The Southern Nevada Health District also posts provisional counts for 2025. Its fourth-quarter 2025 disease statistics list 11,994 chlamydia cases for Clark County in 2025, compared with 12,579 for 2024. Those 2025 figures are provisional, and a lower count can reflect changes in testing as well as changes in infection. They should not be read as a trend on their own.

The takeaway is simple. Chlamydia is common in Southern Nevada, and testing is the way to know.

Free and low-cost testing options

Here are the options listed by their operators. Hours and walk-in capacity can change, and the Southern Nevada Health District's own pages list different hours for some sites. Call or check the clinic's page before you go.

Southern Nevada Health District Sexual Health Clinic, Decatur

Address: 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107. Phone: (702) 759-1700. The district says walk-ins for STI testing and treatment are available until capacity is reached. Its clinic page lists hours of Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Tuesday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

The district offers free Express Testing, a fast walk-in service for people who do not have symptoms. At this site its page lists Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM to 12 PM and 1 PM to 3:30 PM. Fees for other services are based on income and the number of people in your household, and the district states that you will not be turned away because you cannot pay on the day of your visit. Bring photo ID and proof of income. This location also lists PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP services.

Southern Nevada Health District Sexual Health Clinic, Fremont

Address: 2830 E. Fremont St., Las Vegas, NV 89104. Phone: (702) 759-1700. The clinic page lists Tuesday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Wednesday through Friday 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Free Express Testing here is listed for Fridays, 7:30 AM to 4 PM. The page asks people to arrive by 5:30 PM to allow time for processing.

Arlene Cooper Community Health Center at The Center

Address: 401 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89101. Appointments: 702-802-5432. Operated by The LGBTQ Community Center of Southern Nevada, this clinic offers HIV testing for free, with STI screening at a low cost and certain insurance billed. Treatment for STIs is also provided on site. The Center's page says appointments are highly encouraged, though walk-in services are available for a limited number of patients daily. It lists weekday hours of 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. The site's footer shows different hours, so confirm before you go.

Nevada Health Centers

Nevada Health Centers lists STD testing at its Martin Luther King Family Health Center, 1799 Mount Mariah Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89106 (702-383-1961), and its Nellis Family Medical Center, 691 N. Nellis Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89110 (702-563-4662). It offers a sliding-fee discount program based on family size and income. Its pages do not say whether walk-ins are accepted, so call ahead.

UNLV Student Health Center

UNLV students can get STI testing, including HIV testing, at the Student Health Center in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy. The phone number is 702-895-3370. This is a student service rather than a general public clinic, and its page does not list prices.

Outside the city limits

The Southern Nevada Health District also offers free walk-in Express Testing at its Henderson public health center on Tuesdays and its Mesquite center on the fourth Monday of the month.

A fuller local list

For a broader walkthrough of clinics, costs and what to expect, see our guide to STD testing in Las Vegas, where to get tested and what it costs.

Finding more options anywhere

The CDC's gettested.cdc.gov locator lets you search by ZIP code for testing sites near any Las Vegas address.

What to bring and what to ask

Photo ID and, if you are asking about a sliding-scale fee, proof of income.
Your insurance card, if you have one. Ask the clinic how billing works.
A short list of questions, such as which body sites to test, when results will arrive and how you will be contacted.

You do not have to explain your life to get tested. Clinic staff see this every day. Their job is to help, not to judge.

If your result is positive

A positive chlamydia result means a clinician can start treatment. Treatment cures the infection, so a positive result is a starting point, not a verdict. Tell your recent partners so they can be tested, finish the full prescribed course, and plan a retest at about three months.

If your result is negative

A negative result means the test did not find chlamydia in the samples taken at that time. Ask your clinician whether a recent exposure means a repeat test is worth scheduling. Keep up with yearly screening if you are in a group the CDC recommends it for.

Frequently asked questions

Can chlamydia go away on its own?

Do not count on it. The CDC recommends treatment with antibiotics, and an untreated infection can cause lasting harm and keep spreading.

Is chlamydia curable if I have had it before?

Yes. It can be cured each time with clinician-prescribed antibiotics, though you can get it again. Retesting at three months helps catch that.

How long until I can have sex again?

Your clinician will give you the waiting period. The CDC advises waiting until treatment is complete and for a stretch afterward, and until partners are treated as well.

Do I need to tell my partner?

The CDC recommends that recent partners be told so they can be tested and treated. Partners from the previous 60 days are the usual starting point.

Can I get tested without insurance?

Yes. The Southern Nevada Health District offers free Express Testing for people without symptoms and sliding-scale fees for other care. The Center and Nevada Health Centers also list low-cost or sliding-scale options.

The bottom line

Chlamydia is common, often silent and curable. If you are in a group the CDC and USPSTF recommend screening for, a yearly test is routine care. If you are not sure, asking is reasonable.

In Las Vegas, free and low-cost testing is within reach. Start with the Southern Nevada Health District at (702) 759-1700, or use gettested.cdc.gov to find a site near you.

Chlamydia: Symptoms, Testing and Treatment in Las Vegas