Chlamydia or chlamydiasis is a very common sexually transmitted disease. It can affect a man inside the penis, rectum or throat; and in women, in the cervix, in addition to the rectum and throat. It is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria ‘chlamydia trachomatis’.
Causes of chlamydia
sexual transmission
Chlamydia is caused by the bacteria ‘chlamydia trachomatis’ which is transmitted through sexual relations of any type: oral, rectal or vaginal. It can also be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy, so it is recommended to undergo testing to detect the presence of the bacteria at the first prenatal examination. Babies may be premature and are prone to eye infections and pneumonia.
The main risk factors are:
– Active sexual life before the age of 25.
– Having multiple sexual partners or sporadic sex with strangers.
– Do not use prophylactic measures in sexual relations.
– Have a history of sexually transmitted diseases.
Symptoms of chlamydia
They are not obvious
One of the main problems posed by this disease is that it does not present very obvious signs and these appear weeks after having contracted the infection, so the patient can, for a period of time, infect their partners without knowing it.
The clearest symptoms are:
– Burning when urinating.
– Feel some pain during sexual intercourse.
– In women, there is usually an abnormal vaginal discharge with a strong odor, bleeding between menstrual cycles and after sexual intercourse.
– In men, burning, pain and discharge in the penis. There may also be testicular pain.
– In some cases nausea and fever occur.
– Pain in the rectum.
Chlamydia can cause reactive arthritis.
Diagnosis of chlamydia
Verification in the laboratory
The doctor always uses laboratory tests, especially urine analysis, blood analysis, and an analysis of the discharge from the cervix in women or the urethra in men (swabs). Samples can also be obtained from the anus.
It is very important to go to the doctor when the patient notices any symptoms to avoid other complications. Men rarely have complications associated with chlamydia but in women, if left untreated, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease which can cause chronic pelvic pain, permanent damage to the reproductive system, ectopic pregnancy (outside the uterus) or infertility. Finally, chlamydia also makes it easier to transmit or receive the HIV that causes AIDS.
Chlamydia treatment and medication
Antibiotics
As with any infectious outbreak, chlamydia is cured with antibiotics (often with a single dose or a one-week treatment). People who have had chlamydia are predisposed to being infected again, so it is advisable to undergo testing again three months after completing treatment.
Chlamydia prevention
Condom use
Obviously, the only effective way to not get or transmit chlamydia is to not have sex. And if you have sex, you must use condoms or latex oral dams to reduce the chances of contagion.
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