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Throat swab instructions

How to take a throat swab for chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing. You will find everything you need in the kit supplied.

Before you start

  • Wash your hands.
  • Make sure you do not spill the liquid inside the tube.
  • Do not use the liquid inside the tube to moisten the swabs.
  • In your kit you will have two swab packs – it does not matter which swab you use for your throat / rectal samples (they are both the same).

How to use your self-test kit

Step 1

Remove the cap from sample tube, do not spill the liquid inside.

Step 2

Remove pink swab from packet (throw away the white swab). Do not touch the cotton end.

Step 3

Swab firmly against the back of your throat several times, on both sides.

Step 4

Insert the pink swab into the sample tube. Snap the shaft of the swab against the side of the tube (there is a ‘score-line’ at the point you need to break it).

Step 5

Screw the lid back on tightly (take care not to pierce foil lid).

Step 6

From the ‘patient return form’, find the barcoded sticker (labelled throat) and attach it lengthways to sample tube.

Step 7

Place all your samples into the clear ‘95KPA’ bag and seal tightly.
Place sample bag back into the box with your completed ‘patient return form’. Do not forget to fill out the date you took you specimen in BLACK ink on the ‘patient return form’.
Put the box back into the pre-paid returns envelope and post straight away.

Getting your results

See test results.

Disposal of waste

Any waste items can be placed into general household waste – do not flush down the toilet.

Contact details

If you have questions about using the kit, please contact us.