**11. Laboratory diagnosis**

**Taking samples:** When taking samples, dacron, rayon (artificial silk), cotton, or calcium alginate swabs with plastic handles should be used. Wooden-handled swabs are toxic to chlamydiae. Because chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacteria, samples should contain both extracellular material and infected human cells. While collecting samples of the vagina, urethra, endocervix, and conjunctiva, firstly the discharge and secretions are cleaned and then the epithelial cells are scraped with the help of a swab. Samples taken for culture should be placed in chlamydia transport media. It should be kept in the refrigerator until it goes to the laboratory. Urine can be tested to detect the presence of chlamydia. The first 20 ml urine sample can be used for the detection of chlamydia nucleic acid. It may not be detected as it may be diluted in subsequent urine.
