Chlamydia (short for chlamydia trachomatis) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and at Ohio University. Chlamydia is the name of several types of bacteria. Chlamydia trachomatis is the bacterium that infects the penis, vagina, cervix, anus, urethra or eye.
Important facts
Three million American men and women become infected with chlamydia each year
Chlamydia is four times more common than gonorrhea
Chlamydia is thirty times more common than syphilis
Chlamydia is most common among women and men under 25
For every person with genital herpes there are six with chlamydia.
Common symptoms
Usually chlamydia has no symptoms
Up to 85 % of women and 40% of men with chlamydia have no symptoms
Most individuals are unaware they have the infection
When symptoms do occur, they begin 5 -10 days after infection
Women, who have symptoms may experience:
Bleeding between menstrual periods
Vaginal bleeding after intercourse
Painful intercourse
Low-grade fever
Painful urination
The urge to urinate more than usual
Cervical inflammation
Abnormal vaginal discharge
A yellowish discharge from the cervix which may have an odor
Rectal itching and diarrhea
If chlamydia infects the eyes, it may cause redness, itching and a discharge.
Men who have symptoms may experience:
Pus or watery or milky discharge from the penis
Painful or burning urination
Swollen or tender testicles
Rectal itching and diarrhea
If chlamydia infects the eyes, it may cause redness, itching and a discharge.
Men may not take these symptoms seriously because they may only appear in the early morning and can be extremely mild
How chlamydia is spread
Through vaginal, anal or oral intercourse
Can also spread from a women to her fetus during birth
Complications of chlamydia
Chlamydia is a serious health threat especially for women. In women, the infection usually begins on the cervix. It can spread to the fallopian tubes or ovaries.
Chlamydia causes 250,000 - 500,000 cases of pelvic inflammatory disease every year.
Women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) of the fallopian tubes are 7-10 times more likely to have ectopic pregnancies.
Chlamydia also makes men sterile. It can spread from the urethra to the testicles. Then it can result in a condition called epididymitis.
Chlamydia causes more than 250,000 cases of acute epididymitis in the U.S. every year.
Chlamydia also may cause Reiter's syndrome. This usually occurs in young men.
Of the 1.5 million men who get chlamydia each year, 1% or 15,000 will develop Reiter's syndrome. 5,000 will become permanently disabled. (CDCP, May 2005)
Reiter's Syndrome symptoms include:
Urethritis
Lesions that form hard crusts on the penis
Ulcers in the mouth or throat
Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
Arthritis
Arthritis becomes a disability for about one third of the men who develop Reiter's syndrome.
Diagnosis
Examination of the cervix and cervical discharge
Laboratory tests of the cells from the penis, cervix, urethra, or anus
Examination of urine samples
Treatment
Oral antibiotics (doxycycline, azithormycin) are used to treat chlamydia.
If an individual is being treated for chlamydia, they should take all the prescribed medicine. Even if the symptoms go away, the infection may still be in the body
Make sure all partners are treated at the same time so re-infection will not occur
Prevention and protection
Condoms and other forms of latex protection offer protection against chlamydia.
Pap tests should not be relied upon to check for chlamydia. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommend all sexually active women 18- 25 as well as older women with risk factors be screened annually for chlamydia.
Hudson Health Center Athens, Ohio 45701 T: (740) 593-1660
