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Three Simple Facts:
- Chlamydia is curable.
- Chlamydia makes HIV easier to catch and to give.
- Up to 80% of women and up to half of all infected men have no symptoms.
Additional Information:
- Chlamydia can easily be cured with antibiotics.
- Chlamydia can lead to unusual discharge from the vagina and/or bleeding in women.
- Chlamydia can lead to discharge from the penis in men.
- Chlamydia is passed through vaginal and anal sex, but not usually by oral sex.
- Partners of infected people must get tested to know whether they are infected, even if they notice no symptoms.
- Chlamydia can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and infertility in women.
- Chlamydia is especially common in young persons, especially those under 25 years old.
Risk:
What do you think are your risks?
What do you do to reduce your risk of getting an STD?
Recognition:
What are your symptoms?
Do you know that some STDs cause NO symptoms?
Response:
Stop having sex.
Get tested and treated at a clinic or doctor’s office .
Treat your partner(s). This reduces reinfection.
What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a curable sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacteria named Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia can infect the penis, cervix, or rectum. It is one of the most common of all STDs.
How many Americans have chlamydia?
In the United States, more than 3 million people are infected with Chlamydia each year. Health economists estimate that chlamydia costs Americans more than $2 billion a year. Chlamydia is most common in people under 25 years of age.
What are the symptoms of chlamydia?
70 – 90 % of women and 40 – 50% of men have NO noticeable symptoms.
If symptoms occur, they usually appear 1 – 3 weeks after infection. The most common symptoms are:
MEN
- Discharge from the penis; the discharge may be clear, cloudy, or yellowish
- An itchy feeling inside the penis
- Pain or burning feeling while urinating
- A swollen or tender testicle
WOMEN
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Painful urination
- Spotty bleeding between menstrual periods
- Painful intercourse
- Vaginal bleeding after intercourse
- Pain in the lower abdomen
What happens to me if I have chlamydia?
The infection may move inside the body if it is not treated. There, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women and epidydimitis in men, two very serious illnesses. Rarely, chlamydia results in a kind of arthritis called Reiter’s Syndrome.
- PID results when untreated infections in women such as chlamydia or gonorrhea spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes. PID is a serious health problem that can result in infertility, pelvic pain that can go on for months or years, or tubal pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus). Symptoms of PID include pain in the lower abdomen or back, fever, spotting or bleeding between menstrual periods, pain during sex, and increased vaginal discharge.
- Epidydimitis results when untreated infections in men such as chlamydia or gonorrhea spread up the male reproductive system to reach the testicles. This leads to pain or swelling in the scrotal area, which is a sign of inflammation of a part of the testicle called the epididymis. Epididymitis often is very painful and, if it involves both testicles, can lead to infertility.
- Reiter’s Syndrome is a kind of arthritis that occasionally occurs a few weeks after a chlamydial infection. The main symptoms are back pain, painful and swollen joints, and a skin rash.
How is chlamydia transmitted?
Chlamydia is transmitted through unprotected vaginal and anal sex with an infected partner. It can also be passed from an infected woman to her newborn baby during birth.
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is more easy to catch or to give if either partner also has chlamydia.
How do I avoid infection with chlamydia?
- Abstinence from sex is the surest way to avoid becoming infected with chlamydia–not having any anal, oral or vaginal sex.
- The next surest way is to limit sex to one uninfected partner who only has sex with you–mutual monogamy.
- For those choosing to be sexually active outside longstanding, permanent relationship, condoms should be used correctly and consistently to minimize transmission.
- Avoid sex if suspicious symptoms are present. If you think you could have chlamydia (or any STD), seek immediate care at a local STD clinic, hospital, or medical practitione
- Before having sex, talk with your partner(s) about chlamydia and other STDs. Work out a risk reduction strategy with them that feels comfortable to both of you.
- If you have chlamydia (or any STD), notify all sex partners so that they can also seek and obtain treatment.
How do I find out if I have chlamydia? (Diagnosis)
Chlamydia is diagnosed by doing a test for Chlamydia trachomatis (the bacteria that causes the infection) from sites that might have been exposed. Usually this means taking a swab from the penis in men, from the cervix in women (during a pelvic exam), or from the rectum. Sometimes urine can be tested. The specimen is sent to a laboratory for testing and results are available a few days later. Tests for chlamydia usually become positive 3 – 7 days after catching the infection.
What is the treatment for chlamydia?
Most chlamydial infections are easily treated with antibiotics. Sometimes a single dose of antibiotic is sufficient, but other antibiotics must be taken for 7 days.
Important: Many common antibiotics do not work against chlamydia. Never treat yourself with an antibiotic left over from another prescription.
People should not have sex for 7 days after treatment is completed. Recent sex partners must also be treated. A couple must not have sex until both have completed treatment; otherwise they may reinfect one another.
PID and epididymitis are more complicated infections and may take longer to treat.
Follow-up: Everyone with chlamydia should be re-tested 3 – 4 months after treatment. Public Health routinely contacts patients or their health care providers after three months to remind them about repeat testing. Retesting usually can be done on a urine sample.
If you have chlamydia:
- Take all of the prescribed medicine, even if your symptoms go away before you have completed treatment.
- If the symptoms do not go away within a week after finishing treatment, go to your doctor or clinic again.
- It is very important to tell your sex partners that you have chlamydia so that they can be tested and treated.
- Get re-tested for chlamydia 3 – 4 months after treatment.
How does chlamydia affect pregnancy?
Chlamydia can cause a pregnant woman to go into labor early, resulting in premature delivery. All pregnant women should be tested for chlamydia, even if they don’t seem to be at risk for the disease. Babies born to infected mothers can get chlamydia of the eyes or have other problems. All babies are automatically given eyedrops right after delivery to avoid gonorrhea or chlamydial infection.
Resources and information:
If you would like more information or have personal concerns, call CDC-INFO 24 Hours/Day at 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636), 1-888-232-6348 (TTY), in English, en Español
Testing Sites:
Broward County Health Department 780 SW 24th Ave. Ft. Lauderdale, FL (954) 788-6095 (954) 847-3567
The Adult Men’s Evening Clinic 2421 SW 6th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315 (954) 298-1749 Tue-Wed. 4:30-7:00 p.m. only for men.
