HEALTH EDUCATION

Chlamydia

What it is
Chlamydia (klah-MID-ee-ah) is a common bacterial infection, especially among people under 25. It can affect the penis, vagina, cervix, anus, urethra, and sometimes the eyes or throat. Untreated, it can lead to a number of health problems, including problems during pregnancy or sterility.

Most people who are infected with chlamydia HAVE NO SYMPTOMS, which means you can spread it without knowing you have it.

If you do develop symptoms, they’ll appear within 3 weeks of exposure and can include:

In women:

• Low-grade fever

• Painful urination

• Abdominal pain

• Vaginal or cervical discharge

• Non-menstrual bleeding

• Cervical or rectal inflammation

• Painful intercourse and/or bleeding after intercourse

• Rectal discharge or diarrhea

In men:

• Painful urination

• Discharge from the penis

• Swollen or overly-sensitive testicles

• Rectal inflammation

• Rectal discharge or diarrhea

How it’s spread
Chlamydia is spread through:

• Vaginal intercourse

• Anal intercourse

• Oral sex

• Sometimes to the eyes through contact with the hands

• It can also be transmitted from mother to fetus during birth.

How it’s treated
Both men and women are tested for chlamydia using a simple urine test. Chlamydia is treated easily with antibiotics. It’s important that all partners get treatment before having sex again to avoid re-infection, and a follow-up visit to your clinician is recommended.

How it’s prevented
The only sure way to avoid exposure is to abstain from sexual contact, or to be in a monogamous relationship with a partner you KNOW is uninfected.

Using latex condoms correctly can decrease the risk of transmission.

An annual screening test for chlamydia is recommended if you’re a sexually active woman, especially if you’re 25 or younger. Pregnant women should also be screened. Both men and women should get tested any time they changes sex partners.

If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, stop having sex until you get tested and treated.

What it does
In women:

For most women, chlamydia infects the cervix first and from there can spread to the fallopian tubes or ovaries. It can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can make you sterile.

Chlamydia can also contribute to ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy that happens outside the uterus) and is a leading cause of pneumonia and conjunctivitis in newborns. It may also contribute to low birth weight or miscarriage.

In men:

Chlamydia can also cause sterility in men.

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