On 28th September HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) will be offering Chlamydia testing at Colors nightclub in Basildon.   The testing will be offered to under 24’s from 9pm to midnight at the gay venue and is being undertaken in collaboration with South West Essex Primary Care Trust.  

Anyone who would like to take the test will be asked to give a sample - a urine sample for the men and a self taken swab for the women - which they can do themselves in the privacy of a toilet cubicle.   The samples would then be labelled by the THT team and sent off to a lab for testing. Results would be sent back to individuals by text or phone message (or another preferred method) within about 10 days to two weeks, with help and advice on what to do next if the test is positive.

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK.  As many as one in 10 under 24s are thought to be positive. Although it’s often thought of as something that mainly affects women, in 2005 diagnoses rose by 7% in men.   Chlamydia often doesn’t have any symptoms in men or women and if left untreated it can cause complications.

Victoria Gamble, Services Manager for THT in Essex said “Many people don’t even think about Chlamydia or going for STI testing so we’re taking the tests to them.  It’ll take just 5 minutes out of their night but might pick up an undiagnosed infection which they can then get treated.  We don’t want any shyness on the night, we hope to get lots of people taking the test!”

If the chlamydia testing is a success, THT and South West Essex Primary Care Trust may look at offering chlamydia testing in other venues locally.

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