|
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Fact Sheet |
|
Fulton County Department of Health & Wellness |
|
Chlamydia |
|
Chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. When left untreated, it can lead to painful health problems and sterility. The bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, which can damage a woman's reproductive organs. 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. Background After being in decline for many years, rates of chlamydia infection have risen steadily since 1997. These rising rates are an indication that people are not consistently using safer sex methods. An estimated 2.8 million Americans are infected with chlamydia each year. Women are frequently re-infected if their sex partners are not treated. Chlamydia is transmitted through vaginal, anal and oral sex and can be transmitted from mother to child during childbirth. It is known as the 'silent disease', because more than 50 percent of infected males and 70 percent of infected females have no symptoms and are unaware of their condition. The only reliable way to know if you have chlamydia is to be tested. A urine test is available and there is an effective single-dose antibiotic treatment available to treat the infection. Symptoms of Chlamydia
As noted above, the majority of infected people have no symptoms of chlamydia, and therefore may not know they are infected unless they get tested. Chlamydia is known as a "silent" disease because about three quarters of infected women and about half of infected men have no symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after exposure. Symptoms of infection for women can include: · A vaginal discharge; · A burning sensation when urinating; · Pain in the lower abdomen, sometimes with fever and chills; · Pain during sex; and · Vaginal bleeding between periods or after intercourse. Symptoms for men can include: · A discharge from the penis; · A burning sensation when urinating; · Burning or itching at the opening of the penis; and · Pain and/or swelling in the testicles. Symptoms of anal infection include rectal pain, bleeding and discharge. Those infected through oral sex generally have few symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they usually appear two to six weeks after infection, but it can take longer for symptoms to appear. Even without symptoms, however, chlamydia can be transmitted and can lead to serious health problems and sterility, especially in women. Anyone at risk should therefore be tested. The Health Risks of Chlamydia
For up to 40 percent of infected women, untreated chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID effects include abdominal pain, fever, internal abscesses and long-lasting pelvic pain; effects also include scarring of the fallopian tubes, which can cause infertility and increase the chance of potentially life-threatening ectopic or tubal pregnancies. Men can develop scarring of the urethra, making urination difficult and occasionally causing infertility. Although rare, both sexes are at risk of a type of arthritis known as Reiter's Syndrome - an inflammation and swelling caused by the spread of the infection through the bloodstream into the joints. If a pregnant woman has chlamydia, her baby may be born prematurely, have eye infections or develop pneumonia. Minimizing Your Risk
Following these suggestions may help you to protect yourself from contracting chlamydia: · Learn about safer sex methods. · Make informed decisions. Talk to your partner(s) about their STI status and the use of protection. · Correct use of condoms reduces the risk of acquiring chlamydia and other STIs. · Get tested for chlamydia if you are sexually active. · If you are diagnosed and treated for chlamydia, be sure to follow your health care provider's treatment and follow-up recommendations. If infected, you should abstain from sex until both you and your sexual partner(s) have completed your antibiotic treatment. You can easily be reinfected if your partner is not treated as well. It is important that you or someone from your public health department notify any of your sexual partners who may have been put at risk of infection. They will also need to be tested and possibly treated. How is Chlamydia Treated?
Chlamydia can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics. A single dose of azithromycin or a week of doxycycline (twice daily) are the most commonly used treatments. HIV-positive persons with chlamydia should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV negative. All sex partners should be evaluated, tested, and treated. Persons with chlamydia should abstain from sexual intercourse until they and their sex partners have completed treatment, otherwise re-infection is possible. 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. Retesting should be considered for women, especially adolescents, three to four months after treatment. This is especially true if a woman does not know if her sex partner received treatment. How can Chlamydia be Prevented?
The surest way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted diseases is to abstain from sexual contact, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected. Latex male condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of transmission of chlamydia. Chlamydia screening is recommended annually for all sexually active women 25 years of age and younger. An annual screening test also is recommended for older women with risk factors for chlamydia (a new sex partner or multiple sex partners). All pregnant women should have a screening test for chlamydia. Any genital symptoms such as discharge or burning during urination or unusual sore or rash should be a signal to stop having sex and to consult a health care provider immediately. If a person has been treated for chlamydia (or any other STD), he or she should notify all recent sex partners so they can see a health care provider and be treated. This will reduce the risk that the sex partners will develop serious complications from chlamydia and will also reduce the person's risk of becoming re-infected. The person and all of his or her sex partners must avoid sex until they have completed their treatment for chlamydia. Where can I Get More Information?
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Home Page CDC-INFO CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN) American Social Health Association (ASHA) |