You’re in a relationship but both decide to get tested as you’ve been together a while and sex was not always protected. That´s the most normal thing in the world, isn’t it?
But how can it be that I am positive for, let’s say chlamydia, and he isn’t?
There are several explanations:
- The test didn’t detect the infection as the type of test is old-fashioned
- They only did tests from a genital sample, and not from the throat where the infection was hidden
- He’s taken antibiotics that have managed to kill off the infection
But we now know there is another explanation – that is really quite common to kick out infection on your own WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS
This group of Dutch doctors will normally call anyone who is positive in tests to come in a get antibiotics. But in this study, instead of treating them directly they asked them to REPEAT THE TEST.
To their surprise, they found it was quite common to find that some people had eliminated the bacteria, like gonorrhea or chlamydia for example, without any need for treatment. They saw figures like…..
33% of gonorrhea detected in urine tests
More than 50% of chlamydia infections in the throat
They observed this phenomenon mostly when there were very low levels of bacteria present.
So is it not necessary to get antibiotics if you’re positive? Yes, of course it is, but this study has prompted the group IUSTI to start their own trial to look into this matter more.
If you have doubts about your own personal situation, please feel free to write for advice.
van Liere GAFS, Hoebe CJPA, Dirks JA, et al. Spontaneous clearance of urogenital, anorectal and oropharyngeal Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in women, MSM and heterosexual men visiting the STI clinic: a prospective cohort study. Sex Transm Infect Published Online First: 11 March 2019. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2018-053825
Spanish: (Aclaramiento espontáneo urogenital, anorectal y orofaríngeo de Chlamydia trachomatis y Neisseria gonorrhoeae en mujeres, HSH y hombres heterosexuales que acuden a una clínica de ITS.)