Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. Often referred to as the “silent” bacterial infection because it frequently causes no symptoms, chlamydia infects both men and women and often goes undiagnosed. This can lead to problems with a woman's reproductive health.
What is Chlamydia? When we talk about chlamydia, it's a group of bacteria that attack body cells and grow within them. Chlamydia infection is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia infection is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydial infections are asymptomatic in a large percentage of cases, which can be as high as 50% for men and 70% for women. Therefore, regular preventive check-ups significantly contribute to limiting the spread of the disease. Chlamydia is divided into 2 categories: Chlamydia Chlamydophila "Chlamydia in women is considered a silent disease, as the infection is often asymptomatic, and if left untreated, it can lead to salpingitis or infertility."
Who does Chlamydia affect? Chlamydia infection affects every sexually active person, with an emphasis on younger ages. If a pregnant woman is infected, she can transmit the infection to the newborn during natural childbirth, causing eye infection or pneumonia. Theoretically, every sexually active person who has unprotected sexual intercourse can be infected with chlamydia, and there appears to be a clear upward trend in ages 18 to 24, with a higher percentage in women.
Modes of Transmission The bacterium that causes chlamydia can be transmitted through: Vaginal sex Anal sex Oral sex Through the use of sex toys More rarely, chlamydia infection can also be transmitted through contaminated fluids, e.g., by touching the eye. Also, an infected pregnant woman can transmit the infection to the baby during childbirth. The incubation period from the time of transmission until the onset of symptoms ranges from 1 to 3 weeks. Chlamydia is not transmitted by: Kissing Hugging Sharing food or drinks Using a toilet after someone else Using a swimming pool Droplets from coughing or sneezing Chlamydophila (pneumonia, psittacosis) is transmitted by droplets spread during speech. Bacterial infection from this genus of chlamydia can cause pharyngitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia, and sexual contact is not required for its transmission.
Chlamydia & Risk Factors The chances of contracting chlamydia increase: Inversely with age and in younger ages under 24. When you have multiple sexual partners. When condoms are not used correctly. "Younger ages show higher rates because they are more likely to accumulate more risk factors."
Chlamydia: Symptoms Chlamydia infection, in a large percentage of cases, does not cause symptoms. Even when it does, they are not severe, which is why it is often underestimated. Chlamydia usually presents with mild symptoms, or even none at all. When symptoms do appear, they are found where the bacterial infection originated (genitals, rectum, mouth). Therefore, regular preventive check-ups become particularly important. Symptoms that may occur in men and women include: Pain during urination. Vaginal discharge. Pain during sexual intercourse in women. Vaginal bleeding between periods and during sex. Penile discharge. Testicular pain for men. Additionally, chlamydia infection can also affect: The eyes, where it can cause conjunctivitis, with redness and irritation of the eyelids. The throat, causing a sore throat. The rectum, where it may present with pain, discharge, or blood loss. Women Vaginal discharge Pain during sex Bleeding after sex Fever Vaginitis Salpingitis Cervicitis Lower abdominal pain Men Pain in testicles, penis, urethra Swelling in the testicles Lower abdominal pain Urethral pain Burning sensation (tingling) during urination Discharge of milky or yellowish fluid from the urethra These symptoms usually appear 1-3 weeks after the bacteria are transmitted. “Chlamydia does not cause symptoms in 80% of women and 50% of men who contract the infection”
Diagnosis The diagnosis of chlamydial infection in women can be made with laboratory tests on a urine sample or a vaginal swab taken from the vagina, mouth, throat, rectum, or around the cervix. The test can be performed during a scheduled Pap test. In men, diagnosis is made with a urine test. The doctor may also take a sample with a cotton swab from both the throat and the rectum. Chlamydia is diagnosed based on symptoms, when present. Samples are taken from: Endourethral Endocervical Pharyngeal Rectal Vaginal secretions Penile skin These samples are processed using various methods to detect the chlamydia bacteria.
“Women aged 17-25 should be examinated for chlamydia more often, as they have more sensitive cervical epithelium, so they can get infected easily” You've just been diagnosed… with Chlamydia Chlamydia infection will be treated with antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. Until then, you should avoid sexual intercourse and also inform your partner(s) of the last three months, so that they can be tested and, if necessary, receive treatment. This way, you protect your partner's health and your own from potential re-infection. Furthermore, if you are diagnosed with chlamydia, it is advisable to be screened for other sexually transmitted infections, such as gonorrhea, syphilis, or HIV. Read also... Syphilis Read also... PrEP “Re-testing should be done in 3 months to confirm treatment and definitive eradication of the chlamydia infection”
Chlamydia Treatment Chlamydia can be treated, as it is a bacterium, so it is treated with antibiotics. Chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotic medications that your doctor will recommend. Please note that you should follow the treatment exactly as prescribed by your doctor and not stop if you observe a reduction in symptoms. However, the partner of the person infected with chlamydia should follow the same treatment. The majority of patients achieve full recovery in the early stages of treatment, but treatment should not be discontinued until the bacteria are completely eliminated from the body.
In cases of pregnancy, treatment is modified accordingly and it is, of course, essential to complete it consistently. In most cases, the infection clears in 1 to 2 weeks, but you can still transmit chlamydia, so you should avoid sexual activity until you complete the treatment, as should your sexual partners. “During the entire period of medication intake or for the duration specified by the doctor, there must be abstinence from all types of sexual contact”
Chlamydia & Complications Chlamydia infection, whether symptomatic or not, can cause complications with significant effects on reproductive health, especially for women, such as pelvic inflammatory disease and salpingitis, which can lead to infertility, while also increasing the chances of ectopic pregnancy. In men, untreated chlamydia infection can cause epididymitis and infertility problems. If not treated promptly, chlamydia can cause: Chlamydia Salpingitis Cervicitis Urethritis Pelvic inflammatory disease Proctitis Ectopic pregnancy Infertility Epididymitis Chlamydophila Eyes Eyelid irritation Trachoma Blindness Mouth Pneumonia
Prevention Chlamydia infection prevention is essentially linked to abstinence from sexual activity. However, you can reduce your chances of contracting the infection if: You correctly use a latex condom every time you have sex. You are mutually monogamous or limit your sexual partners. You undergo regular check-ups. By discussing with your doctor, you will be informed about the schedule of regular check-ups you should undertake based on the infection risks you face.
References https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/chlamydia/facts https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537286/#article-19431.s3 https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/chlamydia-gonorrhea-and-syphilis
How is chlamydia treated?
Chlamydia is treated with antibiotic medications, which will eliminate the infection but not necessarily the damage it may have caused before treatment.
How is chlamydia infection transmitted?
Chlamydial infections are transmitted through unprotected sexual — vaginal, anal, oral — contact. You can also get reinfected if you have sex with an infected person while undergoing treatment.
How is chlamydia tested?
Testing in women is done with a urine sample or vaginal fluid, and in men with a urine sample or a urethral sample taken with a cotton swab.
If I get chlamydia and treat it, will I be immune to the bacteria?
No. Chlamydia, precisely because it is a bacterium, can cause re-infection multiple times in the same person when there is contact with the responsible bacteria. Furthermore, a check-up is recommended 3 months after treatment, as there is a possibility of recurrence.
How did I get chlamydia if my partner doesn't have it?
The symptoms of chlamydia infection take time to appear. So you may have been infected by a previous sexual partner and not known it.
Are women more vulnerable to chlamydia infection?
No. Only those who use condoms correctly every time they have sex can be considered safe from chlamydia bacteria infection. The difference between men and women is that men show symptoms more often than women, so they treat it before it causes unpleasant complications.
How can I know when and from whom I got chlamydia?
Chlamydia symptoms appear approximately 1-3 weeks after contact with the responsible bacteria. However, if there are no symptoms at all, then we cannot know exactly when the infection occurred. The only way is regular preventive check-ups by the responsible doctor.
