Chlamydia infection is very common among young adults and teenagers. is the problem is that many people do not know they have chlamydia, because although they are infected, they may not have any symptoms. About 75% of the infected women and half of the infected men have no symptoms of chlamydia. Chlamydia trachomatis is a major infectious cause of human eye and genital disease. Chlamydia infection of the eye is the most common cause of preventable blindness in the world. Sometimes Chlamydia can be confused with gonorrhea because they have similar symptoms and can have similar complications if not treated.
Incidence
Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the United States. The disease affects both men and women and occurs in all age groups, though it's most prevalent among teenagers.
How do you get chlamydia?
Sexually active women and men can get chlamydia through sexual contact with an infected person. Chlamydia can be passed during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. It represents a great danger because there are often no symptoms and people who are infected may unknowingly pass chlamydia to their sex partners. Not only that but an infected mother can also pass chlamydia to her baby during childbirth. Babies born to infected mothers can get pneumonia or infections in their eyes, also called conjunctivitis.
There are no particular risk groups but the more sex partners a person has, the greater the risk of getting infected with chlamydia.
Symptoms of chlamydia infection
Unapparent infection- silent disease
Chlamydia is known as a "silent" disease because about 75% of infected women and about 50% of infected men have no symptoms and even if the symptoms do occur, they usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after exposure.
Symptoms in women
The localization of infection in women is the cervix and the urethra. When women have symptoms, the most common ones are:
- an abnormal vaginal discharge
- a burning sensation when urinating
Of course, when the infection spreads from the cervix to the fallopian tubes symptoms could be a bit more serious and accompanied with:
- lower abdominal pain
- low back pain
- nausea
- fever
- pain during intercourse
- bleeding between menstrual periods
- spreading to the rectum
Symptoms in men
Although there are often no symptoms, men also might have a discharge from their penis or a burning sensation when urinating. They might also have burning and itching around the opening of the penis. Pain and swelling in the testicles are uncommon. Homosexual men may acquire Chlamydia infection in the rectum, which can cause rectal pain, discharge, or bleeding. This bacterium can also be found in the throats of women and men which had oral sex with an infected partner.
Complications if left untreated
If untreated, chlamydia infections can progress to serious reproductive and other health problems. It is proven that these problems can have both short-term and long-term consequences.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a serious infection of the uterus and fallopian tubes. Although it may cause no signs or symptoms, it could be very dangerous because it can damage the fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus and cervix, and it may lead to infertility. Other possible long-term consequences include chronic pelvic pain and lingering infection.
Incidence:
Each year, about 1 million U.S. women develop PID. Experts estimate that 100,000 women each year become infertile due to PID.
Epididymitis
Chlamydia infection can also inflame the epididymis - a coiled tube located beside each testicle. This infection is accompanied with fever, scrotal pain and swelling. Chlamydia causes more than 250,000 cases of epididymitis in the USA each year.
Prostatitis and rectal inflammation
The chlamydia can also spread to prostate gland causing inflammation called prostatitis. The most common symptoms are pain during or after sex, fever and chills, painful urination, and lower back pain.
Eye infections
Touching your eye with a hand moistened with infectious secretions can cause an eye infection, such as pinkeye. If left untreated, the eye infection can result in blindness.
Reiter's Syndrome
Chlamydia may also cause Reiter's Syndrome, a form of arthritis, especially in young men. It is estimated that more then 15,000 men get Reiter's Syndrome from chlamydia each year in the USA, and about 5,000 are permanently affected by it.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Women infected with chlamydia are at greater risk of acquiring HIV.
Lymphogranuloma venereum
This condition isn't as common as the common genital chlamydia infection, it is caused by a variety of the Chlamydia trachomatis bacterium). Initial signs include:
- genital sores,
- fever
- swollen lymph nodes in the groin area
The greatest prevalence of LGV is in Africa, Southeast Asia, Central and South America and Caribbean nations.
Screening and diagnosis of Chlamydia infections
Risk groups for developing chlamydia infections:
- Those who have multiple sexual partners
- Those who don't use a condom during sex or have other sexually transmitted diseases
- Those who have a sexual partner who has had a sexually transmitted disease
Screening and diagnosis of chlamydia is relatively simple. Tests include:
A culture swab
In most cases for women, the doctor may take a culture swab of the discharge from cervix. It is very similar to routine Pap test. In some cases, the doctor may also swab the anus to test for the presence of chlamydia.
A urine test
A sample of the urine analyzed in the laboratory may indicate the presence of this infection.
Treatment of chlamydia infections
Since it is a bacterial infection doctors treat chlamydia with prescription antibiotics such as:
- Azithromycin (Zithromax®)
- Erythromycin
- Tetracycline
- Doxycycline
Research has shown that, if detected and treated on time, the infection should resolve within one to two weeks. Both sexual partners need treatment even though they may not have signs or symptoms.
Women whose sex partners have not been appropriately treated are at high risk for re-infection. Having multiple infections increases a woman's risk of serious reproductive health complications, including infertility.
Prevention of Chlamydia infection
There are things you can do to lower your risk for getting chlamydia:
Don’t have sex
The best way to prevent chlamydia or any STD is to practice abstinence, or not having vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
Be faithful
Having a sexual relationship with only one partner who has been tested for chlamydia and is not infected is another way to reduce your chances of getting infected. Be faithful to each other, meaning that you only have sex with each other and no one else.
Use condoms
Condoms can lower the risk of passing chlamydia, so protect yourself with a condom EVERY time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Condoms should be used for any type of sex with every partner. For vaginal sex, use a latex male condom or a female polyurethane condom. For anal sex, use a latex male condom. For oral sex, use a dental dam. A dental dam is a rubbery material that can be placed over the anus or the vagina before sexual contact.
Learn about other contraceptive methods
Know that some methods of birth control, like birth control pills, shots, implants, or diaphragms, will not protect you from STDs. If you use one of these methods, be sure to also use a latex condom or dental dam (used for oral sex) correctly every time you have sex.
Learn the symptoms of chlamydia
Beside this, you should remember that chlamydia often has no symptoms.
Get regular screenings for sexually transmitted diseases
If you're sexually active, particularly if you have multiple partners, talk with your doctor about how often you should be screened for chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Stop douching
Women shouldn't use douche because it decreases the number of good bacteria present in the vagina, which may increase the risk of infection.