Chlamydia Information

Date: July 2004

Diagnosis

The most reliable way to diagnose Chlamydial infection is for laboratory testing of a urine sample or swab taken from a woman's cervix or a man's urethra. The laboratory testing procedure examines the sample or swab for the bacteria causing Chlamydia. In most cases the testing procedure is simple and results are returned within a short time frame.

Transmission

Chlamydia is transmitted through oral, vaginal or anal sex with infected partners. It can also be passed on through the sharing of penetrative sex toys. Pregnant women should also note that Chlamydia can be passed from mother to baby at birth.

Chlamydia is not transmitted by kissing, hugging or other incidental contact such as communal bathing, the sharing of eating utensils or plates etc…

Symptoms

In many cases the symptoms of Chlamydia are mild and are not noticeable. However, in the women common symptoms include:

• an unusual vaginal discharge
• bleeding after intercourse
• bleeding between menstrual periods
• abdominal or pelvic pain

While in men, common symptoms include:

• a discharge from the penis
• burning with urination
• swollen and/or painful testicles

Effects

If left untreated in women, Chlamydia can result in pelvic sepsis leading to abscess formation, chronic and recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ectopic pregnancy, infertility and chronic pelvic pain. While in men untreated Chlamydia can result in chromic genital tract infection, possibly resulting in infertility. In children the untreated infections have been known to result in pneumonia and eye infections sometimes causing lasting or permanent damage to the child's eyesight.

Treatment

Chlamydial infections are easily treated with a course of anti-biotics lasting up to two weeks. To avoid re-infection your sexual partner should also be treated at the same time and you should avoid having sex during the course of the treatment.

In most cases women can be successfully treated during pregnancy and breast feeding without affecting the health or well being of the foetus or new born child.

Prevalence

Chlamydia is considered to be the most widespread sexually transmitted infections (STI) in the United States and around the world. In the United States alone there are an estimated 4 million new cases of Chlamydia each year. While in other parts of the world, the rate of infection is either similar or worse.

Chlamydial infection affects both men and women, and is especially dangerous for pregnant mothers where there can be the likelihood of the infection being passed on to new born children.