Information on expedited partner therapy to treat chlamydia

You are getting a prescription for medicine to treat chlamydia, a bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI), because your sexual partner was diagnosed and treated for chlamydia.

You might have gotten this STI from your partner.

The good news is that chlamydia is usually easy to treat. 

Please read the information on this page carefully to learn more about this medicine.

Chlamydia is an STI that you can get from having oral, vaginal, or anal sex with a person who already has it. Many people with chlamydia feel fine and do not have any symptons. Other people may experience:

  • Discharge from your penis
  • Pain and swelling in testicles
  • Burning or painful urination
  • Change in vaginal discharge or bleeding between periods/after sex
  • Pain during sex
  • Lower abdominal pain

Chlamydia can also cause infection in the uterus which can cause infertility. 

It is very important that you get treated right away, even if you do not have symptoms. Your partner has given you a prescription for 1 gram (1000 mg) of azithromycin (also called Zithromax), which cures chlamydia. You can fill this prescription at any pharmacy. The pharmacist will give you instructions on how to take this medication and ask you about potential allergies to this medication.

Do not take this medicine if:

  1. You are a female and have lower belly pain, pain during sex, vomiting or fever. You may have a more serious infection and need additional treatment.
  2. You are a male and have pain or swelling in the testicles, or have a fever.
  3. You have one or more painful, swollen joints.
  4. You have a serious long-term illness, like kidney, liver or heart disease, or HIV infection.*

*If you have any of the above conditions, you will still need treatment, but should see a health care provider to receive appropriate treatment. If you are an OSU student, you can come to SHS. If you don't have a regular health care provider you should seek care at an urgent care facility.

If you are currently taking another prescription medicine, or have any allergies to medications, please alert the pharmacist when your medicine is dispensed.

After you take the medication:

  1. Do not have sex for the next 7 days. It takes 7 days for the medicine to cure chlamydia. During that time, you could still pass this infection onto a sex partner. Condoms may help prevent spread, but the safest way to make sure you don't pass the infection on to anyone is to not have sex for 7 days.

  2. If you have other sex partners, tell them you are getting treated for chlamydia so they can get tested and treated if necessary. If you wish to remain anonymous to partners, or need help contacting partners, the Benton County Health Department can help. Call (541) 766-6255 or (541) 766-6654.

  3. Even after you take the medicine, it is important for you to see a health care provider as soon as possible to get tested for other STIs. People can have more than one STI at a time, and azithromycin will not cure other infections.

  4. Once people have been infected with chlamydia, they are very likely to get repeated infections. It is a good idea to get tested for chlamydia and other STIs three months from now to be sure you did not get another infection. To help prevent the spread of STIs, 100% condom use is recommended.

Additional questions?

Students can call our medical advice nurse line.

Non-students can contact the Benton County Health Department at (541) 766-6835.