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 Posted: 10/31/07 - 17:16 Post subject: FAQs-Chlamydia (Chlymidia, Clamydia, Clamidia) |
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What is Chlamydia?
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia is quite dangerous because it may cause irreversible damage if not treated.
How is Chlamydia acquired?
Chlamydia can be acquired through vaginal, anal, and oral sex and can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during vaginal childbirth.
What are the symptoms of Chlamydia?
The biggest problem with Chlamydia is that it is usually asymptomatic (has no symptoms) and this is exactly what makes it so dangerous. Even if you do not have the symptoms you can still pass the infection to your partner.
If symptoms do occur, they usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after exposure.
In women, the infection first attacks the cervix and urethra. The symptoms that may appear are abnormal vaginal discharge or a burning sensation when urinating. If the infection spreads to the uterus and fallopian tubes, it can still be asymptomatic or cause problems like lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during sex, and bleeding between menstrual periods.
Men who do experience signs or symptoms may have a discharge from their penises, burning and itching around the opening of the penis or a burning sensation during urination. Those who engage in anal sex may acquire Chlamydia infection in the rectum, which can cause rectal pain, discharge, or bleeding. Infection of the cervix can also spread to the rectum. Chlamydia can also be found in the throats of women and men having oral sex with an infected partner.
Passing Chlamydia from mother to a baby
Babies born to infected mothers during vaginal delivery can get Chlamydia infections in their eyes and respiratory tracts. Chlamydia can cause infant pneumonia and conjunctivitis (pink eye) in newborns. There is some evidence that Chlamydia could lead to premature births.
Who’s at the biggest risk of contracting Chlamydia?
Anybody sexually active can get infected with Chlamydia. The greater the number of sex partners, the greater the risk of infection. Young girls and women are especially at risk because their cervix is not fully matured.
Chlamydia tests and treatments
Laboratory tests are used to diagnose Chlamydia. They may involve getting a sample from an infected site (cervix or penis) but a urine test can also tell if you have the bacteria. A Pap test is not suitable for testing for Chlamydia.
It is crucial that all sex partners get evaluated, tested, and treated.
Luckily, Chlamydia is easily treated and cured with antibiotics. A single dose of azithromycin or a week of doxycycline (twice daily) are the most commonly used treatments. While on treatment, the infected should refrain from engaging in sexual intercourses until their and their sex partners’ infections are completed cleared. Otherwise, re-infection is possible. Retesting is advised for women three to four months after treatment.
What happens if you don’t get Chlamydia treated?
If untreated, Chlamydia infections can progress to serious reproductive and other health problems. In women, Chlamydia can spread to the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This disease may further lead to permanent damage of the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues and cause chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy.
Although rare, complications in men involve bacteria spreading to the epididymis (a tube that carries sperm from the testis), causing pain, fever, and, rarely, sterility.
How to reduce the risk of contracting Chlamydia?
The risk of transmission of Chlamydia can be reduced by abstaining from sexual contact or by the use of latex condoms. Other methods of birth control, like birth control pills, shots, implants, or diaphragms, will not protect you from Chlamydia or other STDs.
Here are some Chlamydia related topics:
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