What’s the difference between Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea?

Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea are both caused by bacteria and both treated with antibiotics. Here’s how they compare:

You can have both at the same time. About 1 in 5 people with Gonorrhoea also have Chlamydia, which is why one test checks for both.

Both infections spread in the same ways:

• vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom
• sharing sex toys that aren’t washed or covered with a new condom each time
• from a mother to her baby during birth

Both can also infect the eyes, for example if infected fluid gets on your fingers and you touch your eyes. You can’t catch Chlamydia from kissing or hugging.

Chlamydia is more than twice as common as Gonorrhoea. About half of Chlamydia diagnoses in England are in people aged 15 to 24, while gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men account for more than half of Gonorrhoea diagnoses.

Using a condom every time you have sex is the best way to protect yourself from both. Read more in “Can you still get an STI if you wear a condom?”

Many people with either infection have no symptoms at all. When symptoms do appear, the two look alike. They can include:

• burning or pain when you pee
• an unusual discharge from the vagina or penis
• pain in the lower tummy
• pain or swelling in the testicles
• pain or discharge from your bottom
• red, painful eyes with discharge

Both can also infect the throat, causing a sore throat, although throat infections usually cause no symptoms. Infections in the bottom are often silent too.

If you notice any of these, get tested and avoid sex until you know what’s causing them. Read more in “STI symptoms: what to look out for and when to test”

There are a few differences, but none is reliable enough to tell you which infection you have:

• how often symptoms appear: most people with Chlamydia have none. Gonorrhoea in the penis causes symptoms in over 90% of people, but only about half of people with Gonorrhoea in the cervix notice a change in their discharge
• how soon: Gonorrhoea symptoms in the penis usually start within 2 to 5 days, while Chlamydia symptoms in the penis usually take 1 to 3 weeks
• discharge: the NHS describes Gonorrhoea discharge from the vagina as yellow or greenish, and Chlamydia discharge from the penis as white, cloudy or watery, but it gives no colour for Chlamydia discharge from the vagina or Gonorrhoea discharge from the penis

Neither NHS page lists a strong smell as a symptom. A fishy smelling discharge is more likely to be bacterial vaginosis or Trichomonas.

You can’t tell Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea apart by your symptoms. A test is the only way to know.

Both infections can cause serious problems if they aren’t treated:

• pelvic inflammatory disease (PID): an infection of the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries, which can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy and long-term pelvic pain
• epididymitis: painful swelling of the epididymis, the tube behind each testicle. If the testicle is inflamed too, it’s called epididymo-orchitis
• reactive arthritis: painful, swollen joints
• problems for babies: eye infections at birth, and with Chlamydia, lung infections

Rarely, Gonorrhoea spreads through the blood to the skin and joints. Both infections can also raise the risk of getting or passing on HIV, so an HIV test is a good idea at the same time.

Call 999 if you have severe pain low in your tummy or sudden, severe pain in a testicle. Get urgent medical help if you have a high temperature, painful or swollen joints, a rash, or red, painful eyes with pus.

Both are treated with antibiotics, but different ones:

• Chlamydia: UK guidelines recommend doxycycline tablets, twice a day for 7 days. Other antibiotics are used if you’re pregnant or can’t take doxycycline
• Gonorrhoea: a single injection of an antibiotic called ceftriaxone, usually into the buttock. Tablets are only recommended when an injection isn’t suitable and lab tests show they’ll work

Don’t have sex, including oral sex, until you and your partner have finished treatment. For Gonorrhoea, UK guidelines say to wait until 7 days after you’ve both been treated. Recent partners should be tested and treated too.

UK guidelines recommend a repeat Chlamydia test for under 25s a few months after treatment, as it’s easy to catch again. A test to check Gonorrhoea has gone is recommended for some people, including anyone with a throat infection, ongoing symptoms or a pregnancy, at least 2 weeks after treatment.

Both infections are curable, but having one doesn’t make you immune. Read more in “Is Gonorrhoea viral or bacterial?”

Yes. Gonorrhoea has become resistant to several antibiotics over the years, and a ceftriaxone injection is now the recommended treatment. Resistance to it is still rare in England, but it’s rising:

• 88 cases of ceftriaxone-resistant Gonorrhoea were found in England between 2015 and the end of August 2026
• there were 29 cases in 2025, more than double the 13 in 2024
• most cases are linked to travel, but in 2026 some were passed on within England

Since August 2025, England has offered a vaccine against Gonorrhoea, the MenB vaccine, mainly to gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men who are at higher risk. It gives around 30% to 40% protection, so condoms and regular testing still matter.

There’s no vaccine for Chlamydia.

Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea are tested together, on the same sample, using a sensitive lab test that looks for the bacteria’s genetic material. The best sample depends on your body and the sex you’ve had:

• men: a urine sample
• women: a vaginal swab, which you can take yourself, as urine can miss more infections
• throat or bottom: a swab if you’ve had oral or anal sex, as a urine test or vaginal swab won’t find infections there

Test from 2 weeks after sex. If you have symptoms, test straight away, and test again at 2 weeks if the sex was very recent.

One test, two answers. Read more in “How to test for Chlamydia: which sample you need and when”

Better2Know offers:

• Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea (Urine): tests one urine sample for both infections, from 14 days after sex, or straight away if you have symptoms, with results in 2 days. You can book it at one of our clinics or have a nurse visit you, and there’s also a home test kit.
• Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea (Vaginal Swab): for women, a swab you take yourself, from 14 days after sex, with results in 2 days. You can also order a home test kit.
• Rectal Swab and Throat Swab tests: for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea in your bottom or throat, from 14 days after sex, with results in 2 days.
• Peace of Mind: adds a blood test for Syphilis, from 14 days after sex, with results in 2 days.

A Syphilis test in the first 3 months after sex can miss the infection, so you may need a repeat test. For HIV as well, the Full Screen tests for 7 infections from 28 days after sex. If you test before 45 days, a negative HIV result needs a repeat test. Not sure which test you need? Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Can you have Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea at the same time?

Yes. About 1 in 5 people with Gonorrhoea also have Chlamydia, so you’ll usually be tested for both on the same sample.

Is one worse than the other?

Both can cause serious problems if they aren’t treated, including infertility. Gonorrhoea is more likely to cause symptoms and is becoming harder to treat, while Chlamydia is more likely to go unnoticed.

Can you catch them again after treatment?

Yes. Treatment doesn’t make you immune, so you can catch either infection again, which is why partners need treating too.

Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea spread the same way, cause similar symptoms and often turn up together. Gonorrhoea is more likely to cause symptoms and is becoming harder to treat, while Chlamydia is more common and more often silent. Both are curable, and one test checks for both.

Book a Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea test at a clinic near you, or order a vaginal swab home test kit. Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Not in the UK? Choose your country from the selector at the top of the page for local tests and prices.

This article originally appeared on 22 September 2023 and was last updated on 1 October 2026.

This article is general information and not a substitute for personal medical advice.

Sources

1. NHS, Chlamydia, reviewed 24 October 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chlamydia/
2. NHS, Gonorrhoea, reviewed 16 December 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gonorrhoea/
3. NHS, Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), reviewed 13 May 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis/
4. NHS, Pelvic inflammatory disease, reviewed 17 December 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pelvic-inflammatory-disease-pid/
5. NHS, Epididymitis, reviewed 6 August 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/epididymitis/
6. NHS, Bacterial vaginosis, reviewed 19 June 2026. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bacterial-vaginosis/
7. NHS, MenB vaccine for gonorrhoea, reviewed 28 August 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/menb-vaccine-for-gonorrhoea/
8. UK Health Security Agency, Sexually transmitted infections and screening for chlamydia in England: 2025 report, 2 June 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis-annual-data-tables/sexually-transmitted-infections-and-screening-for-chlamydia-in-england-2025-report
9. UK Health Security Agency, Sexually transmitted infections quarterly report, England: provisional data, September 2026, 16 September 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sti-quarterly-surveillance-reports-provisional-data/sexually-transmitted-infections-quarterly-report-england-provisional-data-september-2026
10. Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, NHS begins roll-out of world-first gonorrhoea vaccine programme, 4 August 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nhs-begins-rollout-of-world-first-gonorrhoea-vaccine-programme
11. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, UK national guideline for the management of infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, 2026. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/national_guideline_for_the_management_of_infection_chlamydia_trachomatis_2026.pdf
12. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, UK national guideline for the management of infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 2025. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/fiferetal2025britishassociationofsexualhealthandhivuknationalguidelineforthemanagementofinfection_1.pdf
13. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, Summary guidance on testing for sexually transmitted infections, 2023. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/resources/bashh_summary_guidance_on_stis_testing_2023.pdf
14. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, A guide to Chlamydia, July 2026. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/chlamydia_pil_mobilepdf_02.pdf
15. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, UK guidelines for the management of syphilis, 2024. https://bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/syphilis_2024.pdf