Sexually Transmitted Infections
What Are They?
Chlamydia
What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria. It is among the most common STIs in the world.
In Canada, the majority of cases are aged 15-24, and more than twice as many reported cases are from women than from men.1 Early data for 2004 shows that the rate of chlamydia infection rose by 74.2 percent from 1997-2004. In 2003, that rate of chlamydia infection was about 180 infected people for every 100,000 people.2
How do you get chlamydia?
Chlamydia can be passed along by having unprotected oral, anal or vaginal sex.
Preventing chlamydia
Using condoms can help prevent the spread of chlamydia. Condoms and dental dams can also be used for protection during oral sex.
Symptoms
Chlamydia bacteria can infect the cervix, rectum or the urethra. Sometimes, it can also infect the throat after performing oral sex. Infection can also spread to the eyes by touching an infected area and then touching the eye. In places where treatment is not available, these eye infections can be very serious and can cause blindness.
Most people infected with chlamydia will not have symptoms. For those who do have them, they usually appear between 2 days to 2 weeks after contracting the infection, but it can take longer. Chlamydia is typically more serious for women than for men, but women are also less likely than men to have symptoms.
For women, symtoms may include:
- burning while urinating
- vaginal discharge or a change in normal discharge
- bleeding between menstrual cycles, or during/after intercourse
- increase in pain during menstruation or during intercourse
- abdominal or lower back pain
- occasionally causes fever and chills
Symptoms for men may include:
- itching of the penis
- pain while urinating
- discharge from the penis
- in some cases, there may also be pain or swelling of the testicles
- About half of men will have no symptoms and many will have only mild symptoms.
Symptoms of rectal infection (men and women)
- Discharge
- Redness
- Painful bowel movements
- Itchiness
Testing
Testing for chlamydia can be performed with a swabbing of the infected area (cervix, urethra, rectum) or with a urine sample.
Remember, chlamydia testing is not included in a woman's regular Pap smear test.
A health care professional may ask for the contact information of recent sexual partners or ask that you inform them that they need testing.
Treatment
Chlamydia infection can be cured with antibiotics, usually with a single dose.
Follow your health professionals' instructions, and, as with any medication, take as directed and complete the entire duration of the prescription, even if your symptoms disappear.
Did You Know? |
STI Reinfection: Peterman TA et al; RESPECT-2 Study Group (U.S.). High incidence of new sexually transmitted infections in the year following a sexually transmitted infection: a case for rescreening. Ann Intern Med. 2006 Oct 17;145(8):564-72. |
Impact if not treated
In women, chlamydia can cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), which means that the infection has spread to the reproductive organs. This can cause infertility, chronic pelvic pain and ectopic pregnancy. Symptoms of PID can include foul-smelling discharge from the vagina, high-fever or muscle aches.
Chlamydia can also cause problems getting pregnant or during pregnancy, including miscarriage, preterm birth and low birth weight. Sometimes, the infection can be passed from mother to child during birth, causing a lung or eye infection or even pneumonia.
For men, chlamydia can sometimes cause prostate swelling and inflammation of the urethra and Epididymis. In very rare cases, it can cause infertility in men.
In rare cases it can also cause Reiter's Syndrome, which causes symptoms such as rashes, sores and arthritis-like joint pain. Chlamydia infection can also increase the chance of transmitting HIV.
What to tell your partner
Like many sexually transmitted infections, many people who are infected with chlamydia will have no symptoms and will be unaware they are infected.
For this reason it is very important to be honest with your partner(s), and also to be honest with your health care provider about your sexual history. Chlamydia is curable with antibiotics, but it can cause long-term damage such as infertility if it is not treated.
Explain to your partner what testing and treatment involves, and you may want to offer to accompany them for support.
When can I have sex again?
Ask your health care provider. Generally, it will be safe to have sex one week after both you and your partner have completed the entire duration of antibiotic treatments, provided all symptoms have disappeared. You can reacquire chlamydia immediately after your infection has been cured.
Remember, your recent sexual partner(s) have to be tested, and if they are also infected, you will need to wait until they have finished treatment and been completely cured before having sex.
It is always a good idea to use condoms to prevent STIs, but they are particularly important after you or a partner has been treated for an STI.
Last Modified: February 27, 2008
