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Oral STD Testing: Throat Tests for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea

By Richard D. Porter, Patient Advocate Updated

Quick answer

An oral STD test is a swab of the throat, taken by a clinician or, with instructions, collected by you. A urine sample or a genital swab doesn't sample your throat, and the CDC advises testing at the site of exposure, so if you had oral sex, ask for a throat swab for gonorrhea and ask about chlamydia too. Most throat gonorrhea causes no symptoms, so a test is the only way to find out. If you may have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours, go to urgent care or an ER now and ask about PEP.

The test you need

Chlamydia: NAATRetest if negative before day 49

Gonorrhea: NAATRetest if negative before day 49

Too earlyMay detect; retest if negativeReliable

Counted from your most recent exposure. CDC gives no single window for chlamydia, gonorrhea, trich or syphilis; the cautious date uses the NHS "up to 7 weeks". Work out your own dates

Test
Throat swab (NAAT) for gonorrhea, with chlamydia if your clinician advises
Sample
A swab of the back of the throat, taken by a clinician or collected yourself after instructions
When
The NHS says STIs can take up to 7 weeks after unprotected sex to show up on a test. Ask the testing site how soon after your exposure to swab.

Most people think of an STD test as a urine cup or a blood draw. That works for the genitals and for infections that show up in blood, but it says nothing about your throat. If oral sex is part of why you’re testing, the sample needs to come from the place that had contact.

What is an oral STD test?

An oral STD test is a swab of the throat that a lab checks for gonorrhea and sometimes chlamydia. The lab uses a NAAT, a nucleic acid amplification test. The CDC says NAATs are designed to amplify and detect nucleic acid sequences that are specific to the organism being looked for.

The word “oral” also gets used for the HIV self-test that uses oral fluid, which is a different test with a different purpose. More on that below.

Can a urine test find a throat infection?

No. Urine and genital swabs sample the genitals. The CDC advises testing at the site of exposure, which means a throat swab if the throat was exposed. This matters because the CDC says most gonorrhea infections of the throat cause no symptoms, so you may feel completely fine.

How do you test for oral gonorrhea?

With a throat swab sent to a lab. The CDC tells providers to ask patients about oral sexual exposure and, if it’s reported, to test the pharynx. NAAT tests are available that are FDA-cleared for throat swabs, though the CDC says some may be less specific on throat samples, so a clinician may choose the test with care.

How do you test for oral chlamydia?

It’s the same kind of swab. The CDC says chlamydia in the throat can be found by testing at the exposure site, and that certain NAATs detect both bacteria from a single sample. It also says routine throat screening for chlamydia isn’t recommended and that the clinical importance of throat chlamydia is unclear. So the practical advice is to tell the clinician about your oral sex, and let them decide which throat tests to run.

Who should ask for a throat swab?

The CDC suggests anyone who has had oral or anal sex should talk with their healthcare provider about throat and rectal testing options. Its screening tables go further for some groups:

  • Men who have sex with men: gonorrhea screening at least once a year at every site of contact, including the throat, regardless of condom use.
  • Women: the CDC says throat and rectal gonorrhea screening can be considered, based on reported sexual behaviors and exposure.
  • Transgender and gender diverse people: the CDC says to consider throat and rectal screening based on reported behaviors and exposure.

If you’re not sure which group applies, describe your sexual contact to the clinician in plain terms. That is all they need.

When should I test after oral sex?

If you have symptoms, or a partner has told you they have an STI, contact a clinician now. If you have no symptoms, the NHS says STIs can take up to 7 weeks after unprotected sex to show up on a test, so that’s the cautious time for a reliable result. A negative before then may need repeating. Our window-period calculator can help you plan dates.

Where can I get a throat swab?

A healthcare provider’s office or sexual health clinic is the usual route. The CDC’s GetTested site says there are many clinics that provide confidential and free or low-cost testing. Call ahead and ask whether they do throat and rectal swabs, since not every location offers them.

Ordering online can work for the rest of a panel. STDCheck’s pages describe blood and urine samples taken at a lab and don’t mention throat swabs, so a clinic is the safer bet if the throat is your main concern.

What about an oral HIV test?

The FDA-approved OraQuick home test uses oral fluid collected by swabbing your upper and lower gums. It looks for HIV antibodies, not gonorrhea or chlamydia. The FDA says the window period is about three months, so a negative soon after a possible exposure isn’t the last word. If your possible HIV exposure was in the last 72 hours, don’t test first: go to urgent care or an ER and ask about PEP.

Get care now if

  • You may have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours. Go to urgent care or an emergency room now and ask about PEP. Testing can come after.
  • You have a high fever, or a very sore throat with trouble swallowing or breathing
  • Your eyes are red, painful or have discharge, and you may have been exposed to gonorrhea
  • You are pregnant and think you may have been exposed to an STI

Call 911 for a medical emergency. Otherwise, an urgent care clinic, sexual health clinic or your doctor can see you.

When to test

  1. Now, if you have symptoms or a partner has told you they have an STIDon't wait for the 7-week mark. Contact a clinician, tell them which body sites had contact, and ask for a throat swab as well as any genital tests.
  2. About 7 weeks after oral sex without a condom or dam, if you feel fineThe NHS says STIs can take up to 7 weeks to show up on a test, so this is the cautious time for a result you can rely on. A negative earlier than that may need repeating.
  3. 7 to 14 days after treatment, if throat gonorrhea was foundThe CDC advises a follow-up test (a test of cure) for throat gonorrhea 7 to 14 days after treatment. It warns that testing at 7 days might give a false positive.

Common questions

Can a urine test find a throat infection?

No. A urine sample tests the urinary tract and genitals. The CDC says chlamydia in the throat or rectum can be diagnosed by testing at the exposure site, and that for gonorrhea providers should test the pharynx if oral sexual exposure is reported.

Do I need a throat swab for chlamydia as well as gonorrhea?

The CDC says routine throat screening for chlamydia isn't recommended and that the clinical significance of throat chlamydia is unclear. It also notes that certain NAAT tests detect both bacteria from one sample, and that chlamydia found in a throat sample during gonorrhea screening should be treated. Ask your clinician what makes sense for you.

Can I swab my own throat?

The CDC says patient-collected samples are a reasonable alternative to provider-collected swabs for NAAT on urine, vaginal, rectal and throat swabs, once you have been given instructions. STDCheck's testing pages we read describe blood and urine samples only and don't list a throat swab, so ask a clinic if you want one.

Is an oral HIV test the same as a throat swab?

No. The FDA-approved OraQuick HIV self-test uses oral fluid from swabbing your upper and lower gums to look for HIV antibodies. It does not test for gonorrhea or chlamydia, and the FDA says its window period is about three months.

Next: Throat swab (NAAT) for gonorrhea, with chlamydia if your clinician advises.

A swab of the back of the throat, taken by a clinician or collected yourself after instructions. The NHS says STIs can take up to 7 weeks after unprotected sex to show up on a test. Ask the testing site how soon after your exposure to swab.

Read next

Sources

This guide is general information written by a patient advocate using public health sources. It is not a diagnosis. Only a clinician or a lab test can tell you whether you have an infection. Read how we write and check our guides.