Chlamydia
Are you sexually active? Sexually active persons are at the risk of suffering Chlamydia, a common STD. STDs are diseases, which are typically transmitted via having sex (Mårdh, Paavonen & Puolakkainen, 1989). This pamphlet provides you with concise information that you should know to keep safe from developing Chlamydia or lead quality life when infected with the disease. Chlamydia is easy to treat, but has life-changing effects when managed poorly! (Positivemed. 2015)
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Quick Facts on Chlamydia
- Chlamydia is a STD
- Chlamydia is caused by a bacteria, C. trachomatis
- The bacteria infects sexually active women and men
- Chlamydia can damage the female reproductive system permanently
- Females who develop Chlamydia may never get pregnant
- Females with Chlamydia are likely to have possibly lethal ectopic pregnancies (pregnancies occurring within the fallopian tubes)
Those infected with the disease may not develop the corresponding signs until after a number of weeks
What Signs Should I Look Out For To Know If I Have Chlamydia?
Women with Chlamydia may experience:
- Odd vaginal discharge
- Burning sensations when they are urinating
- Bleeding during menses
- Rectal pain (pain at the rectum or lower area of the back)
Men with Chlamydia may experience:
- Odd penal discharge
- Burning sensations when they are urinating
- Swelling of and pain in testicles
- A burning sensation when urinating;
- Rectal pain (pain at the rectum or lower area of the back)
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Visit a Doctor If:
- You develop any of the above signs visit your doctor for an examination
- You develop any of the signs for other STDs visit your doctor for an examination
- Your partner develops any of these signs visit your doctor for an examination(Mårdh, Paavonen & Puolakkainen, 1989)
- Your partner develops any of the signs for other STDs visit your doctor for an examination
Chlamydia’s Long-Term Effects
Barrenness
Chlamydia can give rise to a grave, lasting damage to infected fallopian tubes and the whole of the female reproductive system. Women who remain infected with Chlamydia but untreated for long find it difficult to conceive later on.
Ectopic Pregnancies
Females with Chlamydia are likely to have possibly lethal ectopic pregnancies (pregnancies occurring within the fallopian tubes).
Unhealthy Babies
Women with Chlamydia may have their babies infected with the disease during labor. The babies are likely to be delivered too early. Babies with Chlamydia may develop:
- Pneumonia
- Eye infections (Black, 2013).
Risk Factors
You are at heightened risk of developing Chlamydia if
- you are below 25 and sexually active
- you have unprotected oral sex
- you have unprotected anal sex
- you have unprotected vaginal sex
- you are bisexual
- you are gay
- you have a new sex partner
- you have several new sex partners
- you have several sex partners
- your sex partner has Chlamydia
- your sex partner has any other STD
- your sex partners have other STDs
- you are expectant (Acton, 2012)
How Can You Keep Yourself Safe from a Chlamydia Infection?
You can reduce the risk of developing Chlamydia by:
- not having unprotected oral sex
- not having unprotected anal sex
- not having unprotected vaginal sex
- having one sex partner whom clinical tests have shown to be Chlamydia negative
- using condoms appropriately when having sex
- ensuring that your sex partner is fully cured of Chlamydia if he or she had the disease previously (Allegra & Blasi, 1995)
Available Chlamydia Diagnostic and Therapeutic Tools
Diagnosis
Your doctor has several ways of establishing whether or not you have Chlamydia. The doctor may require you to give out a urine sample for specific Chlamydia tests. The doctor may require you to give out vaginal discharge samples using cotton swabs for specific Chlamydia tests.
Treatment
Chlamydia infection is treated successfully using antibiotics. The commonly used antibiotics in treating infection include
- Ofloxacin
- Doxycycline
- Azithromycin
- Erythromycin
- Amoxicillin
The antibiotics that are recommended for expectant mothers include amoxicillin and erythromycin. An individual with Chlamydia can be used in treating his or her infected sex partner via PDPT or Patient-Delivered Partner Therapy (Acton, 2012)
Chlamydia Prognosis
If you are infected with Chlamydia but you remain untreated for long you can develop various complications. Women with untreated Chlamydia may develop complications such as:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Perihepatitis (which affects the liver)
- Unceasing pelvic pain
- Barrenness
- Sexually transmitted reactive arthritis (which is commonly known as the Reiter syndrome)
Men with untreated Chlamydia may develop complications such as:
- Sexually transmitted reactive arthritis (which is commonly known as the Reiter syndrome)
- Painful testicular swelling(Mårdh, Paavonen & Puolakkainen, 1989)
Other Very Useful Information
- Prevent, as well as control, asymptomatic infection with Chlamydia via early diagnosis (detection) along with treatment
- Do not transmit the infection to others via sex
- Do not let any infection or attendant complication go untreated (always seek the appropriate medical attention immediately)
- Visit your doctor routinely for Chlamydia tests
- After being cured of an infection, go for proper retests
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