Chlamydia: One of the Most Common STDs

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the United States. Three million people are infected each year. It is most prevalent among teenagers, but anyone can be infected.

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection of your genital tract that spreads easily through sexual contact.

Many people have no signs and symptoms at first. Therefore, they may easily spread the infection unknowingly to sexual partners.

Signs and Symptoms

Chlamydia may be difficult to detect because it usually takes one to three weeks after contact for symptoms to be noticeable. Unfortunately, most people experience no symptoms or the symptoms are so mild that they are often overlooked.

Signs and symptoms in women:

Vaginal discharge

Bleeding between periods

Painful periods

Painful sexual intercourse

Itching or burning in or around vagina

Painful urination

Lower abdominal pain

Signs and symptoms in men:

Discharge from penis

Itching and burning around opening of penis

Testicular pain

Painful urination

Lower abdominal pain

Causes

The bacterium chlamydia trachomatis causes chlamydia. It is spread through sexual intercourse. A mother could spread it to her child during delivery, causing the baby pneumonia or a serious eye infection.

Seeking Medical Advice

If you have a discharge from your vagina or penis, painful urination, or other signs and symptoms of chlamydia, see your doctor. Chlamydia must be treated before it leads to other health problems. If you do have this condition, tell your sexual partner(s).

Screening and Diagnosis

Ask your doctor how often you should have chlamydia screening tests if you are in a high-risk group:

Have multiple sexual partners

Do not use condoms

Have other sexually transmitted diseases

Have a sexual partner who has had a sexually transmitted disease

Tests for chlamydia:

A culture swab. A doctor may take a culture swab of the discharge from the cervix in women, while men may have a slim swab inserted into the end of the penis to get a sample from the urethra.

A urine test. Urine is analyzed in the laboratory to indicate the presence of the infection.

Treatment

Your doctor will prescribe oral antibiotics such as azithromycin (Zithromax), erythromycin, tetracycline or doxycycline. It will also be recommended your partner(s) be treated as well to prevent reinfection and further spread of the disease.

It will take about a week or two for the infection to clear. Finish all antibiotics even if feeling better.

Failure to treat chlamydia can cause complications in both women and men.

Complications

If not treated, chlamydia can lead to other health problems:

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In women, chlamydia poses a greater risk of acquiring HIV than women not infected with the disease.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In women, an infection of the uterus and fallopian tubes, untreated PID can lead to abscesses in the fallopian tubes and ovaries, causing scarring that may lead to infertility.

Epididymitis. In men, an infection of the epididymis, a coiled tube located beside each testicle.

Prostatitis. In men, the chlamydia organism can spread to the prostate causing pain during or after sex, fever and chills, painful urination, and lower back pain.

Rectal inflammation. Engagement in anal sex with chlamydia can result in rectal pain and mucus discharge.

Eye infections. Touching an eye with a hand moistened with infectious secretions can cause an eye infection. If untreated, blindness will occur.

Infections in newborns. Chlamydia can pass from the vaginal canal to the child, causing the baby pneumonia or an eye infection that can lead to blindness.

Prevention

To reduce your risk of infection:

Use condoms

Limit number of sexual partners

Practice sexual abstinence

Get tested regularly

Women, stop douching (it decreases the number of good bacteria)

For more information, contact the CDC National STD Hotline: 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636).

Resources:

http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/sexual-health-chlamydia

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chlamydia/DS00173/DSECTION=1

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chlamydia/DS00173/DSECTION=2

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chlamydia/DS00173/DSECTION=3

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chlamydia/DS00173/DSECTION=4