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Information to Live By:
Chlamydia
What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a common and curable infection caused by the bacteria Chlamydia
trachomatis. The bacteria target the cells of the mucous membranes, which
are the soft, moist tissues of the body not covered by skin.
Examples of
areas that could be infected with this bacteria include:
How
common is chlamydia?
In the United States, chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually
transmitted disease (STD), particularly among sexually active adolescents
and young adults. In 2000, 702,093 cases of chlamydia were reported to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, it is estimated
that 3 million cases actually occurred and as many as one in 10 adolescent
females test positive for chlamydia.
How
do people get chlamydia?
Chlmydia, like other
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is passed from an infected person
to a partner through certain sexual activities.
- Chlamydia is passed
primarily during anal or vaginal sex. It is less likely to be transmitted
through oral sex.
- It can be passed
when the mucous membrane, the soft skin covering all the openings of
the body, comes into contact with the mucous membrane secretions or
semen of an infected person. This
is what happens during unprotected sex (that is sex without a latex
condom) whether vaginal or anal sex.
- Oral sex is not
a common cause of infection with this bacteria. Chlamydia is less likely
to be transmitted during oral sex because the bacteria that cause chlamydia
prefer to target the genital area rather than the throat. This is why
it is unlikely for chlamydia to be transmitted from mouth-to-penis and
penis-to-mouth contact, although it is still possible. It is even less
likely for transmission to take place from vagina-to-mouth or anus-to-mouth
contact. Transmission is not known to occur from mouth-to-vagina and
mouth to anus contact.
- Chlamydia can be
passed even if the penis or tongue does not go all the way into the
vagina or anus. If the vagina, cervix, anus, penis or mouth come in
contact with infected secretions or fluids, then transmission is possible.
- Even a woman who
has not had anal sex can get chlamydia in the anus or rectum if bacteria
are spread from the vaginal area, such as when wiping with toilet paper.
- Eye infections
may result when discharge caries the disease into the eye during sex
or hand-to-eye contact.
- Chlamydia is not
passed through things like shaking hands or toilet seats.
- Even if a person
with chlamydia is treated and cured, they can be reinfected if they
are exposed to chlamydia again.
- It can also be
passed from mother to newborn as the baby passes through the infected
birth canal. This can result in eye infections, pneumonia or other complications.
- In children, chlamydia
may be a possible sign of sexual abuse.
What
are the signs and symptoms of chlamydia?
It is importat to understand that focusing on signs and symptoms is not
very useful in determining if someone is infected with chlamydia. First,
the symptoms of chlamydia are similar to the symptoms of gonorrhea, and
the two infections are often confused. Also, approximately, 75% of women
and 50% of men do not experience symptoms. So, most people who are infected
with this bacteria will not be able to tell it from symptoms.
If a person does have
symptoms, they usually develop within one to three weeks after exposure
to chlamydia. How long a person remains infectious (able to transmit the
bacteria to others) is difficult to determine since so many people are
asymptomatic. A person must
be considered infectious from the time they become infected until treatment
is completed.
- Men, women
and infants
- Both men and
women can experience proctitis (inflamed rectum), urethritis
(inflamed urethra) and conjunctivitis (inflamed eyelid).
- Most infections
of the mouth and throat are asymptomatic.
If present, symptoms are soreness and redness in the throat or mouth.
- The most common
complications in newborns include conjunctivitis and pneumonia.
- Women
- Most women
do not experience any symptoms, but if symptoms are present they
may be minor.
- Symptoms may
include:
- vaginal discharge,
or
- burning sensation
during urination.
- If the infection
spreads to the fallopian tubes, women may experience
- lower abdominal
and lower back pain,
- pain during
intercourse,
- bleeding
between menstrual periods, or
- nausea
or fever.
- Men
- Men may be
asymptomatic or symptoms
may be minor. When men do have symptoms, they may experience one
or more of the following:
- pus (thick
yellow-white fluid) or watery or milky discharge from the penis
- pain or
burning during urination
- pain or
swelling of the testicles
How
can I find out if I have chlamydia?
There are several different reliable tests for chlamydia. It may be helpful
to speak to your health care provider about what testing options are available.
People infected with
chlamydia are often also infected with gonorrhea. Therefore, patients
with chlamydia are often treated for gonorrhea at the same time, since
the cost of treatment is less than the cost of testing.
What is the
treatment for chlamydia?
There are antibiotic
treatments that are effective in treating chlamydia. Which antibiotic is
prescribed is decided by a health care provider, who will take into consideration
the particular needs of the patient.
Whaterver treatment is prescribled, there are some important points about
any treatment:
- The patient must
take all medications as directed.
- All partners should
be examined and treated.
- The infected person
should not have sex until he or she and any partner or partners have
been treated and cured.
- Persons who show
symptoms after treatment should be tested again by culture.
- Infections detected
after treatment with one of the recommended treatments more commonly
occur because of reinfection rather than treatment failure.
- Women should be
retested three to four months after treatment because of a high rate
of reinfection.
Because the symptoms
of chlamydia are similar to the symptom of gonorrhea, and because a person
can be infected with both, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) recommends that people with chlamydia be treated for both diseases.
Partners should be examined and treated as well.
What can I do to reduce my risk of getting chlamydia?
As with other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) there are things
people can do to reduce or eliminate the risk of chlamydia. Therse include
the following:
- Abstinence (not
having sex) is a sure way to avoid infection.
- Mutual monogamy
(having sex with only one uninfected partner)
is another way to avoid infection.
- Using latex condoms
for vaginal and anal sex reduces risk.
- Water-based spermicides
are not recommended for the prevention of chlamydia. Recent studies
have shown that nonoxynol-9 (N-9), which is found in most water-based
spermicides, is not effective in preventing chlamydia.
- Since chlamydia
can be transmitted even if the penis or tongue does not completely enter
the vagina, mouth or rectum, using latex condoms at the beginning of
sexual contact until there is no longer skin contact is the best form
of prevention.
- Several barrier
methods can be used to reduce the risk of transmission of chlamydia
during oral sex. A non-lubricated condom can be used for mouth-to-penis
contact. Household plastic wrap, a dental dam, or a latex condom cut-up
and opened flat can reduce the risk of transmission during mouth-to-vulva/vagina
or oral-anal (rimming) contact.
Why
worry about chlamydia?
If untreated, chlamydia can cause complications in men, women and
infants.
- Untreated chlamydia
infections in women may lead to:
- Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID). (PID is a serious infection of a
woman's reproductive organs. Left untreated, PID can cause infertility.)
- Cystitis (inflammation
of the urinary bladder)
- A condition
called mucopurulent cervicitis, characterized by a yellow discharge
from the cervix
- Untreated chlamydia
in men may lead to:
- Prostatitis (inflammation
of the prostate gland)
- Scarring of the
urethra
- Infertility
- Epididymitis
(inflammation of the epididymis, which is the elongated, cord-like
structure that runs along the back of each testes)
Do
I need to talk to my partner about chlamydia?
Yes. Telling a partner can be hard, but keep in mind that most people
with chlamydia do not know they have it. It is important that you talk
to your partner as soon as possible so she or he can get treatment. Also,
it is possible to pass chlamydia back and forth, so if you get treated
and your partner does not, you may become infected again.
Should I talk to my health care provider about chlamydia?
Yes. Because chlamydia often does not have symptoms, you may need to talk
to your doctor about whether or not you should be tested. If you are having
unprotected sex or discover that your partner is having unprotected sex
with another person, you may want to ask your doctor about being tested.
Where
can I get more information?
If you have additional questions about chlamydia, call the National STD
and AIDS Hotlines at 1-800-342-2437
or 1-800-227-8922. The hotlines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a
week. For information in Spanish call 1-800-344-7432, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00
a.m. Eastern Time, seven days a week. For the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing
call 1-800-243-7889, 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through
Friday. The hotlines provide referrals and more answers to your questions.
Be sure to request free printed information on chlamydia when you call
the hotline.
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