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How Is Chlamydia Passed On

Young Sexually Active Women Are Most Susceptible

Chlamydia: Sexually Transmitted Infection Symptoms and Treatment

Women between ages 15 and 24 are most likely to be newly infected with chlamydia, according to the CDC, but anyone who is sexually active male or female can be infected. Men who have oral or anal sex with men are also at risk, notes the CDC. The CDC recommends regular chlamydia screenings for people at an increased risk of contracting it.

You should be screened annually for chlamydia if you are:

  • A sexually active woman under age 25
  • A woman age 25 or older who has multiple sexual partners
  • A woman whose sexual partner may have multiple sexual partners
  • Pregnant and under age 25 or pregnant and age 25 or older with an increased risk
  • A man who has sex with men
  • At an increased risk for other health reasons

I would emphasize that young women should be screened if they engage in any sexual behavior that puts them at risk because often has no symptoms, and early treatment is important to avoid long-term damage and infertility, Dr. Schaffir says.

Screening for chlamydia is painless: It usually involves testing a urine sample or a specimen swabbed from the vagina or penis. Some lab tests for chlamydia can use specimens from the throat or rectum.

How To Help Partners Get Treatment

If you are not sure whether your sexual partner will seek treatment, ask your doctor for extra chlamydia medication . You can give it to them so they can be treated as soon as possible.

This is known as patient delivered partner therapy for chlamydia. Talk to your doctor to see if PDPT is right for you and your sexual partner.

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What Can Be Done To Prevent The Spread Of Chlamydia

  • Limit your number of sex partners
  • Use a male or female condom
  • If you think you are infected or have been exposed, avoid any sexual contact and visit a local sexually transmitted disease clinic, a hospital or your doctor. Either bring your sex partners with you when you are treated or notify them immediately so they can obtain examination and treatment.

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Chlamydia Symptoms In Male

Several males do not see the signs and symptoms of chlamydia. The majority of males have no signs in all.

If symptoms do appear, its normally 1 to 3 weeks after transmission.

A few of the most common signs of chlamydia in men include:

  • melting feeling throughout urination
  • yellow or green discharge from the penis
  • pain in the lower abdominal area
  • pain in the testicles

Its also feasible to obtain a chlamydia infection in the anus. In this instance, the primary signs and symptoms are often discharge, discomfort, and also bleeding from this location.

Having foreplay with a person who has the infection elevates the danger of obtaining chlamydia in the throat. Signs can consist of an aching throat, cough, or high temperature. Its likewise feasible to lug bacteria in the throat as well as not know it. Does Chlamydia Always Get Passed On

How Do You Catch Chlamydia

Everything You Need to Know About Chlamydia

Chlamydia is carried in genital fluids and can be passed on when you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the infection.

Its possible, but less likely, that chlamydia can be passed during other types of sex e.g. sharing sex toys, dipping or when mutual masturbation or genital to genital rubbing involves a lot of genital fluids.

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How Is Chlamydia Transmitted

Chlamydia, like other STIs, is passed from an infected person to a partner through certain sexual activities. Chlamydia is passed primarily during anal or vaginal sex. Chlamydia can be passed even if the penis or tongue does not go all the way into the vagina or anus. If the vagina, cervix, anus, penis or mouth come in contact with infected secretions or fluids, then transmission is possible.It is less likely to be transmitted through oral sex.

Chlamydia can be passed when the mucous membranethe soft skin covering all the openings of the bodycomes into contact with the mucous membrane secretions or semen of an infected person. This is what happens during unprotected sex whether vaginal or anal sex.

Oral sex is not a common cause of infection with this bacteria. Chlamydia is less likely to be transmitted during oral sex because the bacteria that cause chlamydia prefer to target the genital area rather than the throat. This is why it is unlikely for chlamydia to be transmitted from mouth-to-penis and penis-to-mouth contact, although it is still possible. It is even less likely for transmission to take place from vagina-to-mouth or anus-to-mouth contact. Transmission is not known to occur from mouth-to-vagina and mouth to anus contact.

Even a woman who has not had anal sex can get chlamydia in the anus or rectum if bacteria are spread from the vaginal area, such as when wiping with toilet paper.

Testing And Treating Sexual Partners

If you test positive for chlamydia, it’s important that your current sexual partner and any other recent sexual partners you’ve had are also tested and treated.

A specialist sexual health adviser can help you contact your recent sexual partners, or the clinic can contact them for you if you prefer.

Either you or someone from the clinic can speak to them, or the clinic can send them a note to let them know they may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection .

The note will suggest that they go for a check-up. It will not have your name on it, so your confidentiality will be protected.

Page last reviewed: 01 September 2021 Next review due: 01 September 2024

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You Can Get Chlamydia More Than Once

With some diseases, having one infection makes you immune to future infections. That’s not the case with chlamydia. If you engage in sexual activity with a person who has a chlamydia infection, you can get it again, even if you’ve just completed treatment for it.

“Both partners should be treated before reinitiating sexual intercourse to prevent relapse,” Schaffir says.

How Can You Get Rid Of Chlamydia

Do I Have Chlamydia? Symptoms of Chlamydia

If your chlamydia test comes back positive, you may be wondering how to get chlamydia treated. Itâs important to discuss treatment options with your healthcare provider. Most likely, you will be treated for chlamydia with oral antibiotics. With treatment, infections often clear up in one to two weeks.

Even if your symptoms resolve sooner, however, itâs very important to complete your healthcare providerâs entire course of prescribed antibiotics. Otherwise, the infection may not be completely eliminated and you could be at risk for reinfection. You could also still pass chlamydia to a partner if you donât complete the recommended course of antibiotics.

Finally, as part of your treatment for chlamydia, connect with any sexual partners you may have unintentionally exposed to this infection. Your healthcare provider may also recommend antibiotics for your partner. This is a key part of chlamydia treatment, since it can help prevent reinfection when you resume sexual intercourse.

Chlamydia is a potentially harmful infection, but fortunately, itâs easy to test for. Itâs also simple to treat when you have a confirmed diagnosis. The important thing is stay informed and know your statusâsomething you can do from the privacy and comfort of home with our STD Test for women.

References

1. Overview: Chlamydia. National Health Service. URL. Accessed March 27, 2020.

2. Chlamydia – CDC Fact Sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. URL. Accessed March 27, 2020.

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I Was Treated For Chlamydia When Can I Have Sex Again

You should not have sex again until you and your sex partner have completed treatment. If your doctor prescribes a single dose of medication, you should wait seven days after taking the medicine before having sex. If your doctor prescribes a medicine for you to take for seven days, you should wait until you have taken all of the doses before having sex.

Who Should Be Tested For Chlamydia

Any sexually active person can be infected with chlamydia. Anyone with genital symptoms such as discharge, burning during urination, unusual sores, or rash should refrain from having sex until they are able to see a health care provider about their symptoms.

Also, anyone with an oral, anal, or vaginal sex partner who has been recently diagnosed with an STD should see a health care provider for evaluation.

Because chlamydia is usually asymptomatic, screening is necessary to identify most infections. Screening programs have been demonstrated to reduce rates of adverse sequelae in women.31,41 CDC recommends yearly chlamydia screening of all sexually active women younger than 25, as well as older women with risk factors such as new or multiple partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection.40 Rectal chlamydia testing can be considered for females based on sexual behaviors and exposure. 40 Pregnant women under 25 or older pregnant women at increased risk for chlamydia should be screened during their first prenatal visit and again during their third trimester.40 Women diagnosed with chlamydial infection should be retested approximately 3 months after treatment.40 Any woman who is sexually active should discuss her risk factors with a health care provider who can then determine if more frequent screening is necessary.

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Can Chlamydia Lie Dormant And Not Show Up On A Test

A significant number of men do not typically show symptoms for STDs such as chlamydia although they are very capable of spreading the disease. Even though they are generally asymptomatic or dormant, they will still test positive for the STD. Most STDs that are in a dormant stage can be detected with a test.

When To Seek Medical Advice

Chlamydia: symptoms, treatment, and prevention

If you have any symptoms of chlamydia, visit your GP, community contraceptive service or local genitourinary medicine clinic as soon as possible.

Find a sexual health clinic.

You should also get tested if you don’t have any symptoms but are concerned you could have a sexually transmitted infection .

If you’re a woman, sexually active and under 25 in England, it’s recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year, and when you have sex with new or casual partners.

If you’re a man, sexually active and under 25 in England, it’s recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year if you are not using condoms with new or casual partners.

Read more about chlamydia diagnosis.

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Can Women Who Have Sex With Women Get Chlamydia

Yes. It is possible to get chlamydia, or any other STI, if you are a woman who has sex only with women. Chlamydia lives in the reproductive tract of an infected woman and can pass to a sex partner, whether male or female.

Talk to your partner about her sexual history before having sex, and ask your doctor or nurse for an STI test if you are at risk.6

Just How Typical Is Chlamydia

In 2017, more than 1.7 million instances of chlamydia were reported to the Centers for Condition Control as well as Avoidance . Nevertheless, several cases go unreported, so the actual number of chlamydia infections yearly may be closer to 3 million.

Men and women can both get the infection, but much more situations in females are reported.

Infection prices are greatest among more youthful ladies, with the highest prices of infection happening in ladies in between ages 15 and also 24.

The CDC recommends that all sexually energetic women ages 25 years and also younger obtain screened for chlamydia each year, as well as older ladies with threat aspects like several or new partners.

Statistically, an individual is more likely to obtain an STI if theyve made love with greater than one person. Other danger elements include having had an STI in the past, or presently have an infection due to the fact that this might lower resistance.

Prices for chlamydia and other STIs have been climbing over the last few years.

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How Likely Am I To Get Chlamydia

Everybody who is sexually active is at risk of getting infected. Of course, if you are in a monogamous relationship with a long-term partner who knows he or she doesnt have any STIs, the chances of contracting chlamydia are, for all intents and purposes, non-existent.

However, if you are sexually active and dont have long-term partner, the risk is exceptionally higher. If you have any reasons whatsoever to suspect you might have been infected, it is crucial to get tested as soon as possible, so that you can get diagnosed and commence your treatment. If the diagnosis is confirmed, you should avoid sexual activities until you get confirmation that the infection has been successfully eliminated.

Despite this, if someone had unprotected sex with an infected person, it doesnt mean that the transmission had definitely occurred. As was discussed before, the rates of transmission vary according to different factors, including the nature of sexual acts performed. It is estimate that single unprotected exposure will result in a transmission in roughly 25% of cases.

How Can I Have Chlamydia When He Doesnt

How is Chlamydia Spread? Physical Contact With Infected Secretions

Ajay asks:

Me and my partner have been together for 5 months now. I have just recently been tested positive for an STI . My partner and I have never used condoms because I am on the pill. My partner went and got himself tested and his results came back negative. How is that possible?

Heather Corinna replies:

If you had a partner before him for oral, vaginal or anal sex, that could be who you got it from and your current partner managed not to contract it from you , or contracted it so recently that he isnât testing positive yet. Or, your current partnerâs test wasnât accurate, or he said he got tested and truly did not. Any of those things are the biggest possibilities of whatâs up here.

A typical practice in healthcare with Chlamydia is this: when your doctor prescribes you a treatment, they ask for your partnerâs name and give you a prescription for him as well. In other words, if you know you have only had one partner when you contracted the infection, it is that partner who has the infection, and thereâs no need for testing. Regardless, since you have been with this partner while youâve had the infection, he should be treated, so call into your healthcare provider to get him that treatment. And if you had not had a screening before this partner and had a partner or partners before him, then youâll want to phone those people â or you can use an anonymous notification serviceâ to inform them about the STI so they can be treated.

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Am I At Risk For Chlamydia

Anyone who has sex can get chlamydia through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex. However, sexually active young people are at a higher risk of getting chlamydia. This is due to behaviors and biological factors common among young people. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men are also at risk since chlamydia can spread through oral and anal sex.

Have an honest and open talk with your health care provider. Ask whether you should be tested for chlamydia or other STDs. If you are a sexually active woman younger than 25 years, you should get a test for chlamydia every year. If you are an older woman with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has an STD, you should get a test for chlamydia every year. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men as well as pregnant women should also get tested for chlamydia.

How Easily Is Chlamydia Transmitted During Sexual Intercourse

Unfortunately, chlamydia is very easily transmitted through unprotected sexual contact. This is especially true because chlamydia infections are sometimes asymptomaticâmeaning they donât cause noticeable symptoms.

In fact, any time you come in contact with the bacteriaâeven if your sex partner doesnât ejaculate or you arenât fully penetratedâyou could become infected or pass along the chlamydial infection. This being the case, men and women should get tested for STIs before beginning any new sexual relationship.

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Symptoms Can Differ For Men And Women

By and large, most cases of chlamydia are asymptomatic they are picked up by screening, which is why it’s so important to have good screening programs in place, notes Dr. Stoner. Men or women who have chlamydia symptoms may experience painful urination.

Women may also have these symptoms:

  • Smelly discharge from the cervix
  • Pain during sex

And men may have these symptoms:

  • Discharge from the penis

How Is Chlamydia Spread Does Chlamydia Always Get Passed On

Chlamydia: Symptoms and Treatment

You can obtain chlamydia by having genital, rectal, or foreplay with somebody that has chlamydia.

If your sex partner is male you can still obtain chlamydia even if he does not ejaculate.

If youve had chlamydia and were dealt with in the past, you can still obtain infected again. This can take place if you have unprotected sex with someone who has chlamydia.

If you are expectant, you can give chlamydia to your infant throughout childbirth.

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How Can You Tell If You Have Chlamydia

You can have chlamydia without experiencing any symptoms. In fact, many womenâapproximately 70% of those who are infectedâare completely asymptomatic, which means that they are also unaware that they are carrying Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria.

The lack of symptoms can cause health problems over time because an untreated chlamydia infection can lead to complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease . Also, if you become pregnant and have chlamydia, you may develop an ectopic pregnancy . Some people with untreated chlamydia may develop reactive arthritis, a form of joint inflammation thatâs caused by the chlamydia bacterium . Untreated chlamydia can also damage your reproductive organs, which could potentially lead to infertility.

Thankfully, effective treatments exist for chlamydial infections. But to get treatment, you first need to determine if you have chlamydia in the first place. As mentioned above, you could have chlamydia without any symptoms. But there are certain telltale symptoms you may experience that can help identify it.

Chlamydia symptoms look very different in men and women. If your male partner experiences urethritis , or has discharge from his penis, he may have chlamydia. If thatâs the case, you should both test for sexually transmitted infections.

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