Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a common, curable, sexually transmitted disease (STD). It is one of the fastest to spread and most difficult to diagnose because most women and men with chlamydia infection do not have symptoms. In fact, as many as 85% of infections in women and 40% in men are symptom free.

Chlamydial vaginitis is most common in young women, 18-35 years, who have multiple sexual partners. Women who have multiple sex partners should request screening for chlamydia during each annual checkup. If left untreated, chlamydia can cause damage to a woman's reproductive organs, and make pregnancy difficult.

Symptoms in Women

• Vaginal discharge that may have an unpleasant odor
• Bleeding between periods
• Painful periods
• Abdominal pain with fever
• Pain when having sex
• Itching or burning in or around the vagina
• Pain when urinating

Symptoms in Men

• Small amounts of clear or cloudy discharge from the tip of the penis
• Painful urination within three weeks of infection
• Pain and swelling around the testicles

Diagnosis and Treatment

There are several laboratory tests for diagnosing chlamydia. Some can be performed on urine other tests require that a specimen be collected by a health care provider from a site of infection such as the penis or cervix.

Chlamydia is treated with oral antibiotics, usually azithromycin (Zithromax) or doxycycline. Your sex partner(s) must be treated at the same time to prevent reinfection and further spread of the disease, and sex should be avoided until all partner(s) complete treatment. With treatment, the infection should clear up in about a week or two, however, it is important to take all of the prescribed antibiotics, even if symptoms disappear. Retesting is advised after treatment to be sure the infection is cured.

Possible Complications

Severe infection may require hospitalization, intravenous antibiotics and pain medicine.

If left untreated in women, chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can lead to damage of the fallopian tubes, an inability to have children and an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy (the fertilized egg implants and develops outside the uterus.) Chlamydia can also cause premature births, and the infection can be passed from mother to child during childbirth, causing eye infection, blindness or pneumonia in the newborn.

In men, chlamydia can cause an infection of the urethra, a condition called nongonococcal urethritis (NGU), or proctitis, an inflammation of the rectum.

Prevention

Safe sexual practices will reduce your risk of infection. These include limiting the number of sex partners and correct use of condoms every time you have sex. Any genital symptoms such as discharge or burning during urination should be a signal to stop having sex and consult a doctor immediately. If you are told you have chlamydia or any other STD and receive treatment, you should notify all of your recent sex partners so they will know to also seek treatment. To avoid reinfection, sex should be avoided until all partners have received treatment and are disease free.

Additional information is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.