How Is Chlamydia Treated
The following are the recommended treatment regimens for chlamydia according to the Guidelines for Sexually Transmitted Diseases, released in 2015, but still considered current. Only one regimen should be chosen.
- Azithromycin 1 gram orally as a single dose
- OR
- Ofloxacin 300 mg orally twice a day for 7 days.
Im Pregnant How Does Chlamydia Affect My Baby
If you are pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass the infection to your baby during delivery. This could cause an eye infection or pneumonia in your newborn. Having chlamydia may also make it more likely to deliver your baby too early.
If you are pregnant, you should get tested for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Testing and treatment are the best ways to prevent health problems.
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Management Of Sex Partners
Sex partners should be referred for evaluation, testing, and presumptive treatment if they had sexual contact with the partner during the 60 days preceding the patients onset of symptoms or chlamydia diagnosis. Although the exposure intervals defining identification of sex partners at risk are based on limited data, the most recent sex partner should be evaluated and treated, even if the time of the last sexual contact was > 60 days before symptom onset or diagnosis.
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How Long Can Chlamydia Lay Dormant
22 February 2021
Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the UK. In 2018 alone, 49% of all new diagnoses of STDs were Chlamydia. A possible reason for this is that the Chlamydia can lay dormant for many years without the carrier knowing. In this blog, we will look at how Chlamydia is transmitted, and how to prevent and treat it.
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Azithromycin And Alcohol Consumption
Yes, you can drink small amounts of alcohol while on Azithromycin. But due to high alcohol consumption, the gastrointestinal side effects of azithromycin can be enhanced. The side effects may include vomiting, indigestion, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea, or gas. In case you consume Azithromycin will high alcohol then it can also cause headaches.
Since Azithromycin is usually taken once, drinking alcohol is unlikely to prevent azithromycin treatment for chlamydia.
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How To Take The Medicine
- you should take these pills with food
- you should have 2 pills of azithromycin. Each pill contains 500g of the medicine. You should take both with water at the same time. You need to take 2 pills to be cured
- do not take antacids for 1 hour before or 2 hours after taking the azithromycin pills
- do not share or give this medicine to anyone else.
What Do I Need To Know If I Get Treated For Chlamydia
If youre getting treated for chlamydia:
- Take all of your medicine the way your nurse or doctor tells you to, even if any symptoms you may be having go away sooner. The infection stays in your body until you finish the antibiotics.
- Your partner should also get treated for chlamydia so you dont re-infect each other or anyone else.
- Dont have sex for 7 days. If you only have 1 dose of medication, wait for 7 days after you take it before having sex. If youre taking medicine for 7 days, dont have sex until youve finished all of your pills.
- Get tested again in 3-4 months to make sure your infection is gone.
- Dont share your medicine with anyone. Your nurse or doctor may give you a separate dose of antibiotics for your partner. Make sure you both take all of the medicine you get.
- Even if you finish your treatment and the chlamydia is totally gone, its possible to get a new chlamydia infection again if youre exposed in the future. Chlamydia isnt a one-time-only deal. So use condoms and get tested regularly.
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Does The Treatment Work
Usually, yes. You can infect another sex partner as soon as you get chlamydia. Most women and some men do not have early signs of the disease.
A pregnant women can also pass on the infection to her baby as it is being born. This can lead to infection of the eyes and lungs in the infant. It is important to inform people you have had sex with during the past 3 months because they may have the disease and not know they need treatment. Your public health nurse will contact your partner if you prefer. Your name will be kept confidential.
How Does Azithromycin Work
This medication works by hindering the spread of the bacteria so that it cant spread, which allows your bodys immune system the additional time to fight the infection off quickly and effectively. It does this by entering the bacterial cell and influencing its inner peptide activity and protein production, which are both activities that are important to keep the cells alive.
This medicine is one of the most convenient treatments for chlamydia and other STIs because it stays in the system for longer than most other antibiotic treatments, so courses of this medicine are short and less intensive. It works faster and most people tend to see results within three to five days of taking the first pill, compared to other treatments that can take from seven to ten days.
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Before You Start To Take It
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
- liver or kidney problems
Tell your doctor if you have pneumonia and any of the following risk factors:
- cystic fibrosis
- elderly
- significant health problems
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding. Do not take this medicine until you and your doctor have discussed the risks and benefits involved.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start taking this medicine.
What Happens If You Have Chlamydia For Over A Year
The majority of people who have chlamydia arent aware of any signs or symptoms, even after several months or years with infection. Nonetheless the impact of untreated chlamydia can be serious for women, causing significant damage to the reproductive organs.
Researchers dont know exactly how long it takes for such effects to occur or exactly what proportion of women with untreated chlamydia suffer such consequences. It is probably only a minority of women who have these serious complications.
In men, serious consequences are rare. Occasionally, men can experience epididymitis, which is an inflammation of the coiled tube at the back of the testicle that stores and carries sperm.
Treatment for chlamydia is simple, requiring a short course of antibiotics. However if the infection is left untreated in women it can spread into the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease . Pelvic inflammatory disease can result in serious complications, including infertility, ectopic pregnancy and long-term abdominal pain.
Researchers are not sure of what proportion of cases of untreated chlamydia progress to PID and of how long this takes. Now that treatments are available, it would be unethical for researchers to identify women with chlamydia, withhold treatment and simply observe the damage the infection causes.
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Usual Adult Dose For Gonococcal Infection
Gonococcal urethritis and cervicitis:Immediate-release: 2 g orally onceUse: Treatment of mild to moderate urethritis and cervicitis due to Neisseria gonorrhoeaeUS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Recommendations:Immediate-release:-Recommended regimen: 1 g orally once as a single dose plus ceftriaxone-Alternative regimen: 1 g orally once as a single dose plus cefixime
Dealing With Side Effects
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What Is Chlamydia Like
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection . Most people who have confirmed cases of chlamydia are recorded to have no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, it occurs in the form of a pus-like yellow discharge, frequent or painful urination. Additionally, some women experience spotting between periods or after sex. Also, rectal pain irritation, bleeding or discharge can occur. Some patients may experience lower abdominal pain, swollen or tender testicles. If left untreated, chlamydia may lead to infertility or irreversible reproductive issues.
The Costs Of Infertility
Treating chlamydia is easy, but for those who do not get treated or get treated too late, living with the damage caused by the infection can be hard.
Rabin has treated many women who never knew they had had chlamydia until they couldnt get pregnant due to blocked fallopian tubes. These women often wind up trying in vitro fertilization , which does not always succeed.
There are all kinds of costs involved for these women, say Rabin. There are emotional costs and physical costs. There are also financial costs with IVF. Its much better to not let the tubes get damaged, she says, and get pregnant the old-fashioned way.
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Side Effects Of Azithromycin
Like any other Chlamydia medicine, Azithromycin has its own side effects, but not everyone experiences them. The possible side effects of Azithromycin can include vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness, upset stomach, and vaginal yeast infection.
Always consult your doctor before taking Azithromycin to cure a Chlamydia infection.
Who Can And Can’t Take Doxycycline
Doxycycline can be taken by adults and children over 12 years old. Doxycycline is not usually recommended in pregnancy or when breastfeeding.
It isn’t suitable for some people. To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
- ever had an allergic reaction to doxycycline or any other medicine in the past
- kidney problems
- myasthenia gravis, an illness that causes severe muscle wasting
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Interactions With Other Medicines And Other Forms Of Interactions
Azithromycin does not interact significantly with the hepatic cytochrome P450 system. It is not believed to undergo the pharmacokinetic drug interactions as seen with erythromycin and other macrolides. Hepatic cytochrome P450 induction or inactivation via cytochrome metabolite complex does not occur with azithromycin.
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Getting Treated For Chlamydia And Often Gonorrhea
If you have your own doctor, he will prescribe the antibiotics you need to treat chlamydia. If you dont have your own doctor, you can often find free or low-cost care at either a Planned Parenthood site or a community health clinic.
Listen carefully to the instructions for taking the medicine that you are given by the doctor or other healthcare provider, and follow them closely.
Ask questions if you dont understand something. Also, if you have other questions as you take your medicine, you can always call the pharmacist for help. They are often easier to reach than the doctor.
If you test positive for chlamydia, your healthcare provider is likely to also recommend that you be treated for gonorrhea. This is because the cost of treating gonorrhea is less than the cost of testing for the infection.
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Who Can And Cannot Take Azithromycin
Azithromycin can be taken by adults and children.
It isn’t suitable for some people. To make sure azithromycin is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
- had an allergic reaction to azithromycin or any other medicines in the past
- liver or kidney problems
- heart problems, including irregular heartbeats
- had diarrhoea when you have taken antibiotics before
- myasthenia gravis – azithromycin can worsen the symptoms of this muscle-weakening illness
- diabetes – azithromycin liquid contains sugar
When Can I Expect For Chlamydia Signs To Show Up
Chlamydia is a serious issue for both women and men. The majority of the infected experience no signs, which is why 70% of the women infected, and most men have no clue they carry it.
If the signs do show up, it will take 1 to 3 weeks after the patient has been exposed to the infection for the bacteria to manifest and produce symptoms. What most people dont know about is that every bacteria has an incubation period, chlamydia has one as well.
This period can vary for every individual. For example, for some individuals, the incubation period can last for a couple of days, so the first signs of the infection will start to develop just days after they have been exposed to the bacteria.
For others, it can take months for any signs to show, which means the incubation period lasts much longer, and the only way to know if that individual is infected with chlamydia is to get tested. But, on average, it takes 1 to 3 weeks after the person has been infected for any signs to show.
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Where To Get Tested
A person can undergo testing for chlamydia at their:
- doctors office
- local health department
- local planned parenthood center
A person can also order a chlamydia test online, take it at home, and then send it off for testing.
If people are at high risk of chlamydia, they may need screening for all types of chlamydia every 36 months.
At risk groups include people who have:
- multiple or unknown sexual partners
- sex in combination with illegal drug use
- sexual partners who use illegal drugs or have multiple partners
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How Long Does Chlamydia Take To Clear Up
In most cases, chlamydia disappears within one to two weeks. During this time, you should avoid sex in order to prevent the spread of the disease. It is possible for your doctor to prescribe a one-dose medication or a medication you will take every day for about a week. It is recommended that you wait 7 days before having sex again if you are prescribed a one-dose pill.
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Get Urgent Medical Help If You Experience Any Of The Following:
- swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat, hands, feet or genitals
- blistering of the skin, mouth, eyes and genitals
Please Note
All medication can cause side effects. We have only listed a few to be aware of. Details of all side effects, including rare side effects to be aware of, are listed in the patient information leaflet . When completing your medical questionnaire, it is very important that you answer the questions truthfully. This is to ensure your doctor has a full picture of your medical history before prescribing. List all medicines you are already taking, including non-prescription and herbal medicines.
Alternatives
Azithromycin Safe Effective Treatment For Chlamydia
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The efficacy of azithromycin was similar, though not noninferior, to doxycycline for the treatment of urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infection, according to recent data.
During a recent investigation, 97% of patients who received azithromycin were cured of chlamydia, according to William M. Geisler, MD, professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues. Geisler, a co-author of CDCs chlamydia guidelines, said in a press release that the drug should be considered as a front-line therapy.
William M. Geisler
Recent studies have raised concerns over the efficacy of azithromycin, and there has not been a definitive, well-controlled randomized clinical trial of its effectiveness, Geislersaid in the release. For physicians, knowing whether azithromycin is an effective treatment option is important because patient adherence to therapy with doxycycline can be an issue. Azithromycin requires only one dose, while doxycycline requires patients to take multiple pills over 7 days.
Fifty-five percent of participants in each arm of the study completed the first follow-up. No treatment failures were reported in the doxycycline arm however, five asymptomatic patients in the azithromycin arm tested positive for chlamydia at follow-up . The failure rate differed by 3.2% between the groups .
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Female Complications Of Neglected Chlamydia
Some females develop PID, an infection that can damage the womb, cervix, and also ovaries. PID is an agonizing illness that usually calls for healthcare facility therapy.
Ladies can also come to be sterile if chlamydia is left unattended due to the fact that the fallopian tubes might end up being marked.
Pregnant ladies with the infection can pass the microorganisms to their children during birth, which can create eye infections and pneumonia in newborns. How To Take Zithromax For Chlamydia
How Can I Prevent Getting Chlamydia
Anyone who is sexually active can catch chlamydia. Youre most at risk if you have a new sexual partner or dont use a barrier method of contraception, such as a condom, when having sex. You can help to prevent the spread of chlamydia by:
- using a condom every time you have vaginal or anal sex
- using a condom to cover the penis during oral sex
- using a dam to cover the female genitals during oral sex or when rubbing female genitals together
- not sharing sex toys. If you do share sex toys, wash them or cover them with a new condom between each person who uses them.
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