How Common Is Chlamydia
CDC estimates that there were four million chlamydial infections in 2018.3 Chlamydia is also the most frequently reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the United States.4 However, a large number of cases are not reported because most people with chlamydia are asymptomatic and do not seek testing. Chlamydia is most common among young people. Two-thirds of new chlamydial infections occur among youth aged 15-24 years.3 It is estimated that 1 in 20 sexually active young women aged 14-24 years has chlamydia.5
Disparities persist among racial and ethnic minority groups. In 2019, reported chlamydia rates for African Americans/Blacks were nearly six times that of Whites.4 Chlamydia is also common among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men . 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
Danger Factors For Getting Gonorrhea And Chlamydia Are Frequently Indistinguishable And Include:
- Having numerous sex partners. Youre bound to be presented to somebody with an explicitly sent contamination if you have numerous sex partners.
- Unprotected sex. Condom utilization during sex generously decreases the danger of getting a sexually transmitted infection, so your danger is higher if you have unprotected sex.
- Having different STIs: If you as of now have a sexually transmitted infection, you can be at a more serious danger of getting another STI. For instance, if you contract chlamydia, you could be bound to contract gonorrhea.
How Is Chlamydia Spread
You can get chlamydia by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has chlamydia.
If your sex partner is male you can still get chlamydia even if he does not ejaculate .
If youve had chlamydia and were treated in the past, you can still get infected again. This can happen if you have unprotected sex with someone who has chlamydia.
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In Both Males & Females
The following complications can occur:
- Disseminated gonococcal infection : An infection causedwhen gonorrhea spreads to the blood. It can lead to arthritis, tenosynovitis , or dermatitis. DGI can be life-threatening.
- Reactive arthritis: When symptomatic or asymptomatic chlamydia is left untreated, reactive arthritis can occur in both males and females.
- Infertility: In some cases, complications of untreated gonorrhea and chlamydia can lead to infertility.
How Is Chlamydia Diagnosed
The most common test for chlamydia is called a nucleic acid amplification test . Your provider takes a sample of fluid by doing a vaginal/cervical swab or collecting a urine sample. Then, they send the sample off to a lab to check for the bacteria that causes chlamydia. Your provider may do the test in an office, or they may ask you to do an at-home chlamydia test. Follow your providers instructions carefully to ensure you get accurate test results.
Because most chlamydia cases are asymptomatic, its important to get screened for chlamydia even if you dont notice any signs of infection. The CDC recommends that sexually active cisgender women who are high-risk for chlamydia get screened regularly. Women, more so than men, experience the most severe complications from chlamydia. Transgender men and nonbinary individuals with vaginas should be screened regularly, too, as they can experience the same complications of chlamydia.
Youre considered high-risk if you:
- Are under 25.
- Have had chlamydia infections previously.
Cisgender men, or trans and nonbinary individuals with penises, should be screened for chlamydia if:
- They live in a setting where chlamydia spreads frequently, like correctional facilities, adolescent clinics and sexual health clinics.
- They have sex with other men.
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Complications Of Oral Chlamydia
Chlamydia of the throat does not lead to complications in that area. The biggest concern with oral chlamydia is that people without symptoms are more likely to continue having sex and spreading the infection to other people.
Long-standing chlamydia infection most commonly leads to pelvic inflammatory disease , an infection and inflammation of the uterus and fallopian tubes. People with PID often have difficulties getting pregnant or are at risk of ectopic pregnancy.
Chlamydia infection can also cause an inflammatory reaction throughout the body that causes joint pain or conjunctivitis, an inflammation or infection in the eye.
How Do I Know If I Have An Sti
Dont wait until you show symptoms, as you might never get any. If youve had unprotected sex then its important to get tested to make sure that you dont have an STI. Especially because infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea can be symptomless, you run the risk of infecting your partner, or any future partner.
You can visit a sexual health clinic to get tested where they will ask you questions about your sexual history before examining you. The tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea involve giving a urine sample and possibly a swab test from the vagina. If you prefer, you can order a test kit online to do at home.
If you test positive for one, or think that you have symptoms of one, then its advisable to get tested for all common STIs. It is possible to have multiple sexually transmitted infections.
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What Is Gonorrhea How Do You Get It
Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection caused by the organism Neisseria gonorrhoeae that is transmitted during unprotected sex. Gonorrhea is one of the oldest known sexually transmitted diseases. Among individuals who are infected with gonorrhea, 50% to 70% also will be infected with chlamydia, another type of bacteria that causes another STD.
Contrary to popular belief, gonorrhea cannot be transmitted from toilet seats or door handles. The bacterium that causes gonorrhea requires very specific conditions for growth and reproduction. It cannot live outside the body for more than a few seconds or minutes, nor can it live on the skin of the hands, arms, or legs. It survives only on moist surfaces within the body and is found most commonly in the vagina, and, more commonly, the cervix. It can also live in the tube through which urine drains from the bladder. Neisseria gonorrhoeae can even exist in the back of the throat and in the rectum .
What Are The Risks Of Untreated Chlamydia And Gonorrhea
Untreated chlamydia and gonococcal infections can lead to serious health consequences with permanent damage. Complications in women can include pelvic inflammatory disease, scar tissue formation in the fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancy , infertility, and chronic pelvic pain and abdominal pain. Complications in men can include epididymitis , prostate gland infection, urethritis, and infertility. Untreated gonorrhea can spread beyond the reproductive organs to the blood and joints. This is called disseminated gonococcal infection and is a potentially life-threatening condition. Untreated sexually transmitted infections also increase the risk of contracting HIV or giving HIV to sexual partners.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Gonorrhea
- Pain and burning while peeing
- Peeing more often than usual
- Pain during vaginal sex
- Sore throat
- Fever and severe lower abdominal pain, if the infection has spread to the fallopian tubes and stomach area
- Pain and burning while peeing
- Peeing more often than usual
- White, yellow, or green discharge from the penis
- Red or swollen urethral opening
- Sore throat
When To See A Healthcare Provider
Its important to talk to your healthcare provider if you have any signs or symptoms of chlamydia, any other symptoms that concern you, or if you know or think youve been exposed to the infection.
According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, women 25 and under and those who are sexually active should be screened for chlamydia every year, as should older women who have an increased risk of infection.
Screening for other STIs/STDs is important as well, as the risk factors for chlamydia also increase the likelihood of contracting these other infections. If you are treated for chlamydia, be sure to tell your healthcare provider if any symptoms persist.
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Symptoms Of Gonorrhoea And Chlamydia
Gonorrhoea and chlamydia are sexually transmitted diseases that can cause serious health problems if not treated promptly.
Both infections are caused by Neisseria gonorrhoea and Chlamydia trachomatis, respectively.
Both conditions are treatable with antibiotics. Gonorrhoea is curable in most cases, but it may lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, resulting in infertility or ectopic pregnancy.
Chlamydia causes PID as well as pelvic pain and bleeding between periods. The infection may be asymptomatic, or you may have a mild case.
According to the centre for disease control, In 2020 alone, there were about 820,000 new cases of gonorrhoea and over 300,000 new cases of chlamydia.
This means that more than 1 million people got infected with these two types of STDs. It is essential to know what they look like so you can get tested and treated quickly. The following are 5 symptoms of gonorrhoea and chlamydia:
When Should I See My Healthcare Provider
When it comes to chlamydia, its a good idea to be proactive. Speak with your healthcare provider about your risks of infection. Make a plan to get screened regularly for STIs based on your providers recommendations for how often you should be tested. Make an appointment with your healthcare provider if your partner tests positive for chlamydia or if you notice any signs or symptoms that you may be infected.
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Rates Of Chlamydia And Gonorrhea In The Us
Chlamydia infections in the United States are much more common than gonorrhea. According to a 2019 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, there were:
- 1.8 million reported cases of chlamydia, with rates of infection up 19% since 2015
- 616,192 cases of gonorrhea, with rates up by 56% since 2015
Chlamydia Vs Gonorrhea: Best Courses Of Treatment For Each
If you have it, youll want to know how to get rid of chlamydia and fast. The good news is that both chlamydia and gonorrhea can be knocked out with a course of strong oral antibiotics. Your first step as mentioned earlier is to see a physician as soon as possible and be very forthcoming about your condition and symptoms. He or she will then prescribe medication for you, and the most common ones for treating chlamydia and gonorrhea are:
- Doxycycline
- Cefixime
- Azithromycin
One of the most important reminders regarding taking medication to treat the clap or chlamydia is that you must finish the entirety of the medication prescribed every last pill! Even if your symptoms have disappeared, taking all of the medication ensure that bacteria causing the infection are wiped out entirely and theres no chance of them re-establishing themselves.
How to get rid of chlamydia? Taking antibiotics as directed by your physician is the only way.
Provided you do so, you can expect to be cured of either infection in one to two weeks. Lastly, preventing a recurrence of either chlamydia or gonorrhea is best assured by now choosing not to engage in casual sex with partners you dont know well, and ideally enjoying sex within a committed, monogamous relationship.
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Whats The Treatment For Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is usually super easy to get rid of. Your nurse or doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. Some strains of gonorrhea resist the antibiotics and are hard to treat, so your doctor may give you two antibiotics, in shot and pill form. Sometimes you only have to take one pill. Other gonorrhea pill treatments are taken for 7 days. Your doctor will help you figure out which treatment is best for you.
If youre treated for gonorrhea, its really important for your sexual partners to get treated also. Otherwise, you may pass the infection back and forth, or to other people. Sometimes your doctor will give you medicine for both you and your partner.
Can Chlamydia Be Prevented
The only sure way to prevent chlamydia is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading chlamydia. If your or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Always Practice Safe Sex
Notice how this is under a section titled How can you reduce your risk. Reduce being the operative word. Even if you always wear a condom or a dental dam, theres a risk of infection. This is because some diseases are spread from skin to skin contact, from bodily fluids touching a part of your body, or from defective prophylactics.
This includes vaginal, anal, and oral sex. So if youre in high school and think that by going down on someone youre safe, hopefully youre reading this before going to that party.
Why Is This Medication Prescribed
Ceftriaxone injection is used to treat certain infections caused by bacteria such as gonorrhea , pelvic inflammatory disease , meningitis , and infections of the lungs, ears, skin, urinary tract, blood, bones, joints, and abdomen. Ceftriaxone injection is also sometimes given before certain types of surgery to prevent infections that may develop after the operation. Ceftriaxone injection is in a class of medications called cephalosporin antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria.
Antibiotics such as ceftriaxone injection will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections.Using antibiotics when they are not needed increases your risk of getting an infection later that resists antibiotic treatment.
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Can Chlamydia Be Mistaken For Gonorrhea
One of the most distinct similarities between both chlamydia and gonorrhea are the symptoms. Both infections can easily go unnoticed as its common to experience little to no signs or symptoms. Although, when symptoms do appear, they tend to be quite similar, these include:
- Painful urination
- Bleeding between periods
- Burning sensation in genitals
The most reliable way to find out more about your sexual health and whether or not you have contracted chlamydia or gonorrhea is through a reliable lab test.
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Is There A Cure For Chlamydia And Gonorrhea
Yes. Chlamydia and gonorrhea can both be cured with the right treatment. If these STDs arent treated, they can cause serious health problems, like making it difficult or impossible for a woman to get pregnant.
If you have an STD, its important to get treatment right away. Its also important to tell anyone youve had sex with that you have an STD so they can get treated, too. This can help protect you from getting infected again.
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I Was Treated For Gonorrhea When Can I Have Sex Again
You should wait seven days after finishing all medications before having sex. To avoid getting infected with gonorrhea again or spreading gonorrhea to your partner, you and your sex partner should avoid having sex until you have each completed treatment. If youve had gonorrhea and took medicine in the past, you can still get infected again if you have unprotected sex with a person who has gonorrhea.
Chlamydia Symptoms In Women:
- testicular pain and/or swelling
- swollen skin around the anus
Depending on the localization of the infection, women, men and children may experience inflamed rectum, urethra or eyelids. The symptoms of mouth and throat infections are rare although a person can suffer a sore throat. Eyes infected with chlamydia can be itchy, swelled, cause painful sensations or produce discharge similar to conjunctivitis. Infection in the rectum results in bleeding, chlamydia discharge and pain.
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Alternative And Complementary Therapies
Gonorrhea is curable with antibiotics, provided the medications are taken as prescribed there arent any alternative therapies that have been proven to cure the disease.
Sexually Transmitted Infections, N. gonorrhoeae
While the Listerine study raises intriguing possibilities, it does not prove that Listerine cures gonorrhea. People who test positive for gonorrhea should still be treated with antibiotics. In addition, Listerine is not intended to be used in body cavities other than the mouth.
In Both Males And Females
Complications that may be seen in anyone include:
- Other STIs. Chlamydia and gonorrhea both make you more susceptible to other STIs, including human immunodeficiency virus . Having chlamydia can also increase your risk of developing gonorrhea, and vice versa.
- Reactive arthritis . Also called Reiters syndrome, this condition results from an infection in your urinary tract or intestines. Symptoms of this condition cause pain, swelling, or tightness in your joints and eyes, and a variety of other symptoms.
- Infertility. Damage to reproductive organs or to sperm can make it more challenging or, in some cases, impossible to become pregnant or to impregnate your partner.
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How Do I Know If I Have Gonorrhea
Some men with gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all. However, men who do have symptoms, may have:
- A burning sensation when urinating
- A white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis
- Painful or swollen testicles .
Most women with gonorrhea do not have any symptoms. Even when a woman has symptoms, they are often mild and can be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. Women with gonorrhea are at risk of developing serious complications from the infection, even if they dont have any symptoms.Symptoms in women can include:
- Painful or burning sensation when urinating
- Increased vaginal discharge
- Vaginal bleeding between periods.
Rectal infections may either cause no symptoms or cause symptoms in both men and women that may include:
- Discharge
- Bleeding
- Painful bowel movements.
You should be examined by your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms or if your partner has an STD or symptoms of an STD, such as an unusual sore, a smelly discharge, burning when urinating, or bleeding between periods.