Chlamydia
Description of Chlamydia (STD Infection)
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. When transmitted through sexual contact, the bacteria can infect the urinary and reproductive organs. Chlamydia is also known as “Silent disease” because in many cases do not have any symptoms. This infection is easily spread because it often causes no symptoms and may be unknowingly passed to sexual partners. In fact, about 75% of infections in women and 50% in men are without symptoms.
How common is Chlamydia infection?
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chlamydia is the most commonly reported infectious disease in the United States, and is very common among teenagers and young adults. It is also estimated that approx 2.8 million Americans are infected with Chlamydia each year. Women are frequently re-infected if their sex partners are not treated. In 2006, 1,030,911 Chlamydia infections were reported to CDC from 50 states and the District of Columbia. Most people are not aware of their infections and do not seek testing, therefore unreporting cases are substantial.
Even though symptoms of Chlamydia are usually mild or absent, serious complications that cause irreversible damage, including infertility, can occur "silently" before a woman ever recognizes a problem. Chlamydia also can cause discharge from the penis of an infected man.
The term Chlamydia typically refers to Chlamydia trachomatis, the STD. But two other types of these bacteria also can lead to illness: Chlamydia pneumoniae, which can be spread through coughing and sneezing, and Chlamydia psittaci, which birds can pass to humans.
Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics. But in many cases, it causes no symptoms, so people can be infected without even knowing it. If Chlamydia infections go untreated, they can lead to more serious health problems, such as infertility.
How do the people get Chlamydia?
Chlamydia can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex with infected person. Chlamydia often has no symptoms. So people who are infected may pass Chlamydia to their sex partners without knowing it. The more sex partners you (or your partner) have, the higher your risk of getting this STI.
An infected mother can pass Chlamydia to her baby during childbirth. Babies born to infected mothers can get pneumonia or infections in their eyes.
How Do I Know if I Have Got Chlamydia?
Since symptoms are not always present, it is not easy to diagnose that person are infected with Chlamydia. Periodically lab testing helps to diagnose the Chlamydia infection. But if the symptomsdo occur, they areusually noticeable within 1-3 weeks of contact and can include the following:
Symptoms of Chlamydia
In many cases, Chlamydia causes only mild or no symptoms. So an infection can last for weeks or months before it is discovered.
WomenChlamydia symptoms include:
No symptoms in about 75%of Chlamydia cases in women (One study found that 3% of a sample of young adults 18-35 years had untreated Chlamydia.)
Bleeding after sexual relations or between menstrual periods
Lower abdominal pain and burning feeling during urination
Vaginal discharge
Vaginal irritation
Men
Chlamydia symptoms include:
Men who are infected with Chlamydia also may not show any symptoms. Those infected men with no symptoms range from 25% to 50%
Discharge from the penis
Pain and burning during urination
Inflammation or infection of a duct in the testicles
tenderness or pain in the testicles
Untreated Chlamydia can lead to complications
If Chlamydia infections go untreated in females, they can lead to serious reproductive and other serious health problems as scarring of the fallopian tubes and causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) PID which can cause permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues. The damage can lead to chronic pelvic pain and can affect fertility, and also lead to potential fatal ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus). Women infected with chlamydia are up to five times more likely to become infected with HIV if exposed. Untreated Chlamydia also can lead to, which can affect the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. In some cases PID has no symptoms, but often causes abdominal or lower back pain, painful urination, pain during intercourse, bleeding between menstrual periods, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, or fever.
In males, untreated infections can lead to epididymitis, an inflammation of the coiled tubes in the back of the testicles the tubes that carries sperm from the testis. This can cause pain, testicular swelling, and even infertility.
How to diagnose Chlamydia infection?
There are a laboratory tests to diagnose chlamydia. Commonly used test is Chlamydia DNA amplification test in urine.
Who should get tested for chlamydia?
All sexually active females 25 or younger (test at least once a year).
Women ages 20 and older who have more than one sex partner
Having sex with someone who has other partners, and not using barrier contraceptives, such as condoms.
All women with an infection of the cervix.
All pregnant women.
Men with painful and frequent urination (dysuria), penile discharge, infection of the prostate (prostatitis), or inflammation involving the anus and rectum (proctitis).
Should be tested if have any symptoms of chlamydia
How often tests should be done?
At least once a year
ContagiousnessChlamydia is contagious. It can be transmitted through sexual contact, in semen and vaginal secretions. Chlamydia does not spread through casual contact such as shaking hands or using the same toilet.
Treatment
If chlamydia is detected early it can easily be treated with antibiotics .Because the symptoms of genital Chlamydia are similar to those of gonorrhea, and someone can have both infections, people with Chlamydia are sometimes treated for both diseases.
How to prevent chlamydia infection?
Because Chlamydia is spread through sexual contact, the best way to prevent it is to abstain from having sex. Sexual contact with more than one partner or with someone who has more than one partner increases the risk of contracting any STD. Laboratory testing also means of preventing disease to be spread.
