WUNRN
· Chlamydia
is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis,
which can damage a woman's reproductive organs. Even though symptoms of
chlamydia are usually mild or absent, serious complications that cause
irreversible damage, including infertility, can occur "silently"
before a woman ever recognizes a problem. Chlamydia also can cause discharge
from the penis of an infected man.
Chlamydia is the most frequently reported bacterial sexually
transmitted disease in the
Chlamydia can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Chlamydia can also be passed from an infected mother to
her baby during vaginal childbirth.
Any sexually active person can
be infected with chlamydia. The greater the number of sex partners, the greater
the risk of infection. Because the cervix (opening to the uterus) of teenage
girls and young women is not fully matured and is probably more susceptible to
infection, they are at particularly high risk for infection if sexually active.
Since chlamydia can be transmitted by oral or anal sex, men who have sex with
men are also at risk for chlamydial infection.
Chlamydia is known as a "silent" disease because about
three quarters of infected women and about half of infected men have no
symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after
exposure.
In women, the bacteria initially infect the cervix and the
urethra (urine canal). Women who have symptoms might have an abnormal vaginal
discharge or a burning sensation when urinating. When the infection spreads
from the cervix to the fallopian tubes (tubes that carry fertilized eggs from
the ovaries to the uterus), some women still have no signs or symptoms; others
have lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during
intercourse, or bleeding between menstrual periods. Chlamydial infection of the
cervix can spread to the rectum.
Men with signs or symptoms might have a discharge from their
penis or a burning sensation when urinating. Men might also have burning and
itching around the opening of the penis. Pain and swelling in the testicles are
uncommon.
Men or women who have receptive anal intercourse may acquire
chlamydial infection in the rectum, which can cause rectal pain, discharge, or
bleeding. Chlamydia can also be found in the throats of women and men having
oral sex with an infected partner.
If untreated, chlamydial infections can progress to serious
reproductive and other health problems with both short-term and long-term
consequences. Like the disease itself, the damage that chlamydia causes is
often "silent."
In women, untreated infection can spread into the uterus or
fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This
happens in up to 40 percent of women with untreated chlamydia. PID can cause
permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues. The
damage can lead to chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy
outside the uterus). Women infected with chlamydia are up to five times more
likely to become infected with HIV, if exposed.
To help prevent the serious consequences of chlamydia, screening
at least annually for chlamydia is recommended for all sexually active women
age 25 years and younger. An annual screening test also is recommended for
older women with risk factors for chlamydia (a new sex partner or multiple sex
partners). All pregnant women should have a screening test for chlamydia.
Complications among men are rare. Infection sometimes spreads to
the epididymis (the tube that carries sperm from the testis), causing pain,
fever, and, rarely, sterility.
Rarely, genital chlamydial infection can cause arthritis that
can be accompanied by skin lesions and inflammation of the eye and urethra
(Reiter's syndrome).
In pregnant women, there is some evidence that
untreated chlamydial infections can lead to premature delivery. Babies who are
born to infected mothers can get chlamydial infections in their eyes and
respiratory tracts. Chlamydia is a leading cause of early infant pneumonia and
conjunctivitis (pink eye) in newborns.
There are laboratory tests to diagnose chlamydia. Some can be
performed on urine, other tests require that a specimen be collected from a
site such as the penis or cervix.
Chlamydia can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics. A
single dose of azithromycin or a week of doxycycline (twice daily) are the most
commonly used treatments. HIV-positive persons with chlamydia should receive
the same treatment as those who are HIV negative.
All sex partners should be evaluated, tested, and treated.
Persons with chlamydia should abstain from sexual intercourse until they and
their sex partners have completed treatment, otherwise re-infection is
possible.
Women whose sex partners have not been appropriately treated are
at high risk for re-infection. Having multiple infections increases a woman's
risk of serious reproductive health complications, including infertility.
Retesting should be encouraged for women three to four months after treatment.
This is especially true if a woman does not know if her sex partner received
treatment.
The surest way to avoid transmission of STDs is to abstain from
sexual contact, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a
partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.
Latex male condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can
reduce the risk of transmission of chlamydia.
CDC recommends yearly chlamydia testing of all sexually active
women age 25 or younger, older women with risk factors for chlamydial
infections (those who have a new sex partner or multiple sex partners), and all
pregnant women. An appropriate sexual risk assessment by a health care provider
should always be conducted and may indicate more frequent screening for some
women.
Any genital symptoms such as an unusual sore, discharge with odor, burning during urination, or bleeding between menstrual cycles could mean an STD infection. If a woman has any of these symptoms, she should stop having sex and consult a health care provider immediately. Treating STDs early can prevent PID. Women who are told they have an STD and are treated for it should notify all of their recent sex partners (sex partners within the preceding 60 days) so they can see a health care provider and be evaluated for STDs. Sexual activity should not resume until all sex partners have been examined and, if necessary, treated.
_____________________________________________________________________
Reference to Recent Scotland Study on Sexually Transmitted Diseases - STD's
& Women - Inclusion of Chlamydia:
http://www.ginsc.net/members/news_details_en.php?id=7038&sub=international&stat=active
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