What Are The Early Signs Of Chlamydia

What Is The Treatment For Chlamydia

Chlamydia can be easily cured with antibiotics. HIV-positive persons with chlamydia should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative.

Persons with chlamydia should abstain from sexual activity for 7 days after single dose antibiotics or until completion of a 7-day course of antibiotics, to prevent spreading the infection to partners. It is important to take all of the medication prescribed to cure chlamydia. Medication for chlamydia should not be shared with anyone. Although medication will cure the infection, it will not repair any permanent damage done by the disease. If a persons symptoms continue for more than a few days after receiving treatment, he or she should return to a health care provider to be reevaluated.

Repeat infection with chlamydia is common.49 Women whose sex partners have not been appropriately treated are at high risk for re-infection. Having multiple chlamydial infections increases a womans risk of serious reproductive health complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy.50,51 Women and men with chlamydia should be retested about three months after treatment of an initial infection, regardless of whether they believe that their sex partners were successfully treated.40

Infants infected with chlamydia may develop ophthalmia neonatorum and/or pneumonia.10 Chlamydial infection in infants can be treated with antibiotics.

Can You Really Get Oral Chlamydia

When the term Chlamydia comes to mind, we do not usually think about it having any kind of relationship with our mouth and throat, but it does. The truth is that you can, indeed, develop Chlamydia in your mouth and throat. Unfortunately, oral Chlamydia is not explored extensively as the genital form of the disease, but its safe to expect things to change in the near future. A study from the Clinical Oral Investigations detected the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis in cellular specimens from the lining epithelium of diseased periodontal sites. In other words, the study provided preliminary evidence that Chlamydia can affect the oral cavity, in this case, in adults with periodontal disease.

In orderto understand how a person can develop oral Chlamydia in the first place, it isimportant to remember the very nature of this STD. A person develops Chlamydiawhen their mucous membranes such as penis, vagina, or rectum come in contactwith certain bacteria. Upon contact, the bacteria enter mucous membranes andstart multiplying.

Mostcases of Chlamydia occur due to unprotected vaginal or anal sex, but it isentirely possible to get this STD through oral sex as well. While oralChlamydia is not very common, its still possible to develop this STD, which iswhy safe sex practices are crucial.

Burning Sensation When Urinating

Chlamydia can cause a burning sensation when you urinate. Its easy to mistake this for a symptom of a urinary tract infection.

You might also feel like you have the urge to urinate more often than usual. And when you do go to urinate, only a little bit comes out. Your urine might also smell unusual or look cloudy.

If you have chalmydia, you might also feel some pain during sex, especially intercourse.

You may also some bleeding and lingering irritation after any type of sexual activity involving penetration.

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Effects Of The Disease

Chlamydia can cause infertility if it is not treated. It damages sperm and scars the reproductive tract. It also damages your sperm in ways that can make birth defects prevalent.

Chlamydia can also affect you in non-sexual ways. You can get recurring pink eye, reactive arthritis and rheumatological conditions.

Who Is At Risk For Chlamydia

Any sexually active person can be infected with chlamydia. It is a very common STD, especially among young people.3 It is estimated that 1 in 20 sexually active young women aged 14-24 years has chlamydia.5

Sexually active young people are at high risk of acquiring chlamydia for a combination of behavioral, biological, and cultural reasons. Some young people dont use condoms consistently.15 Some adolescents may move from one monogamous relationship to the next more rapidly than the likely infectivity period of chlamydia, thus increasing risk of transmission.16 Teenage girls and young women may have cervical ectopy .17 Cervical ectopy may increase susceptibility to chlamydial infection. The higher prevalence of chlamydia among young people also may reflect multiple barriers to accessing STD prevention services, such as lack of transportation, cost, and perceived stigma.16-20

Men who have sex with men are also at risk for chlamydial infection since chlamydia can be transmitted by oral or anal sex. Among MSM screened for rectal chlamydial infection, positivity has ranged from 3.0% to 10.5%.6.7 Among MSM screened for pharyngeal chlamydial infection, positivity has ranged from 0.5% to 2.3%.7.8

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Typical Antibiotics Prescribed To Those Infected

You can treat chlamydia and completely remove it from the system. The best treatment options are prescribed by your doctor, and they include proper antibiotics with high potency. Depending on the potency required and how allergic you are to the ingredients, your doctor can prescribe:

• Doxycycline
• Levofloxacin

Practice Safer Sex By Using A Condom

When used correctly, external and internal condoms help prevent the spread of many STIs during vaginal, anal and oral sex. Condoms are less effective at protecting against STIs transmitted by skin-to-skin contact, such as herpes simplex virus, genital warts ) and syphilis .

Important things to remember when using condoms:

• Check the condom package for damage. Do not use a damaged condom
• Check the expiry date. Do not use a condom after its expiry date
• Carefully open the package so that the condom does not tear. Do not use a condom that has been torn
• Keep condoms away from sharp objects such as rings, studs or piercings
• Store condoms at room temperature
• Use a new condom every time you have sex. Do not reuse condoms
• Do not use 2 condoms at once. Using 2 condoms together may result in a condom breaking
• Use only water-based lubricants with external latex condoms. Oil-based lubricants, such as petroleum jelly, lotion or baby oil, can weaken and destroy latex
• Water or oil-based lubricant may be used with polyurethane/nitrile condoms
• Use only condoms made of latex or polyurethane/nitrile/polyisoprene rubbers. Latex and polyurethane condoms are the best types of condoms to use to help prevent pregnancy and STIs.
• Avoid using condoms with spermicides containing nonoxynol-9 as it can irritate tissue and may increase the chance of getting an STI

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Home Testing Is Possible

There are definitely at-home tests that are accurate, says Dombrowski. They are easy-to-use and hard to mess up, but the problem is that the kits often cost a lot of money.

Furthermore, she says that while you can test yourself at home, if the test is positive, you cannot buy the antibiotics that you need to treat the illness over the counter. You will need a prescription from a doctor or other healthcare provider. Also, you will need to retest yourself three months after the treatment ends.

How Long Does It Take To Show Signs Of Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most prevalent bacteria on the planet. Based on 2018 statistics, around 2.86 million are infected annually, and more than two-thirds of those infected are young teenagers and adults between the ages of 15 and 24. Every sexually active individual is exposed to chlamydia and can get infected no matter how many or how few partners theyve changed.

Here, we will help you answer some of the most common questions you might have about this infection. We will talk about when you can expect the infection to turn up, how to recognize it, and why you need to get tested.

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Long Term Effects Of Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease . It is caused by bacteria Chlamydia trichomatis and affects both men and women globally. Chlamydia has high incidence in European countries and in the United States of America. Infections are common in age 15 to 25 years and are more frequent in women than men. Infection spreads during vaginal, anal and oral sex. On entering the hosts body, chlamydia remains asymptomatic for many weeks. It does not show any signs and symptoms quickly hence it is called a Silent Disease. Chlamydia is one of the foremost causes for infertility in people who are untreated. Therefore, young women and men are encouraged to undergo screening for chlamydia infection. If infection is detected, then one should start treatment promptly.

Regular Screening Prevents Later Problems

When young women and other women at high risk for chlamydia follow CDC guidelines and get yearly screening, they reduce their risk for the serious problems that the illness can cause. They are less likely to suffer infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and other serious health troubles than women who skip yearly testing.

Testing is easy. If it helps you remember, do it the week after your birthday, or tie it to some other annual event, like July 4th. That way, you can declare your independence from worry about STDs.

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How Do You Get Chlamydia

Chlamydia is usually passed on through unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex.

Chlamydia can be passed on through genital contact. This means you can get chlamydia from someone who has the infection if your genitals touch, even if you dont have sex or ejaculate .

You can also get chlamydia if you come into contact with infected semen or vaginal fluid, or get them in your eye.

Chlamydia cant be passed on through kissing, hugging, sharing towels or using the same toilet as someone with the infection.

Frequently Asked Questionsexpand All

• What is a sexually transmitted infection ?

  A sexually transmitted infection is an infection spread by sexual contact. There are many STIs. This FAQ focuses on chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. These STIs can cause long-term health problems and problems during pregnancy. Having an STI also increases the risk of getting human immunodeficiency virus if you are exposed to it.

• What is chlamydia?

  Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STI in the United States. Chlamydia is caused by a type of bacteria, which can be passed from person to person during vaginal sex, oral sex, or anal sex. Infections can occur in the mouth, reproductive organs, urethra, and rectum. In women, the most common place for infection is the cervix .

• What are the risk factors for chlamydia?

  The following factors increase the risk of getting chlamydia:

• Having a new sex partner

• Having more than one sex partner

• Having a sex partner who has more than one sex partner

• Having sex with someone who has an STI

• Having an STI now or in the past

• Not using condoms consistently when not in a mutually monogamous relationship

• Exchanging sex for money or drugs

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Where Can I Get More Information

Health care providers with STD consultation requests can contact the STD Clinical Consultation Network . This service is provided by the National Network of STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers and operates five days a week. STDCCN is convenient, simple, and free to health care providers and clinicians. More information is available at www.stdccn.orgexternal icon.

Division of STD Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-38271-800-783-987

References

1. OFarrell N, Morison L, Moodley P, et al. Genital ulcers and concomitant complaints in men attending a sexually transmitted infections clinic: implications for sexually transmitted infections management. Sexually transmitted diseases 2008 35:545-9.

2. White JA. Manifestations and management of lymphogranuloma venereum. Current opinion in infectious diseases 2009 22:57-66.

3. Kreisel KM, Spicknall IH, Gargano JW, Lewis FM, Lewis RM, Markowitz LE, Roberts H, Satcher Johnson A, Song R, St. Cyr SB, Weston EJ, Torrone EA, Weinstock HS. Sexually transmitted infections among US women and men: Prevalence and incidence estimates, 2018. Sex Transm Dis 2021 in press.

4. CDC. Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2019. Atlanta, GA: Department of Health and Human Services April 2021.

5. Torrone E, Papp J, Weinstock H. Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis Genital Infection Among Persons Aged 1439 Years United States, 20072012. MMWR 2014 63:834-8.

Short Term Effects Of Chlamydia

Short term and early symptoms in women include:

• Fever

The risk factors for getting chlamydia infection include:

• Unprotected sex with partner suffering from untreated chlamydia infection.
• Not maintaining hygiene when dealing with infected patients. Infection spreads from infected eyes to hands.
• An untreated pregnant female passes chlamydia infection to the child in her womb.
• Very rarely one contracts infection on using infected towels.

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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.

How Do People Get Chlamydia

Chlamydia is transmitted through sexual contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus of an infected partner. Ejaculation does not have to occur for chlamydia to be transmitted or acquired. Chlamydia can also be spread perinatally from an untreated mother to her baby during childbirth, resulting in ophthalmia neonatorum or pneumonia in some exposed infants. In published prospective studies, chlamydial conjunctivitis has been identified in 18-44% and chlamydial pneumonia in 3-16% of infants born to women with untreated chlamydial cervical infection at the time of delivery.9-12 While rectal or genital chlamydial infection has been shown to persist one year or longer in infants infected at birth,13 the possibility of sexual abuse should be considered in prepubertal children beyond the neonatal period with vaginal, urethral, or rectal chlamydial infection.

People who have had chlamydia and have been treated may get infected again if they have sexual contact with a person infected with chlamydia.14

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Chlamydia And Gonorrhea

There is a wide range of sexually-transmitted diseases that every sexually active adult should be aware of, but two of the best-known and most common are chlamydia and gonorrhea. While both gonorrhea and chlamydia can be cured with proper medical treatment, recognizing the signs early is critical in obtaining timely care. While regular STD testing is one of the only no-fail methods for detecting STDs, being aware of the typical symptoms can be very helpful as well.

Here is a useful guide to the most common symptoms of chlamydia and gonorrhea, giving you a handy resource for supporting optimal sexual health. If you notice one or more of the symptoms below, its important to seek proper testing and treatment immediately.

Rules For Successful Treatment

The patient should make sure that the doctor is informed if the patient is pregnant or has any allergies. These conditions influence the choice of the medicine prescribed. No matter which antibiotic the patient takes treating chlamydia the following points should be remembered:

• The treatment of all partners on the infected person is obligatory
• Abstain from sex contacts during the treatment and until the negative result on chlamydia test is received
• It is unadvisable to interrupt the course of antibiotics treatment as it will result in the necessity to start again from the beginning. Although the symptoms may disappear, the infection may still remain in the body
• It is necessary to get tested after 34 months after the end of the treatment to make sure the infection is no longer in the body.

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How Chlamydia Tests Are Carried

The experts will ask you for urine sample and in order to generate best results it is essential to refrain passing urine for at least two hours before taking the test sample. In case you were engaged in anal sex and are now experiences few symptoms of Chlamydia then it is important to visit GP and follow procedures for swab of your throat or rectrum.

These samples will be processed in laboratories and you will get final results within few days. But in case if you cannot wait so long then it is good to order a home Chlamydia testing kit and get it delivered within 48 hours.

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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