Chlamydial Infection Among Adolescents And Adults
Chlamydial infection is the most frequently reported bacterial infectious disease in the United States, and prevalence is highest among persons aged 24 years . Multiple sequelae can result from C. trachomatis infection among women, the most serious of which include PID, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. Certain women who receive a diagnosis of uncomplicated cervical infection already have subclinical upper genital tract infection.
Asymptomatic infection is common among both men and women. To detect chlamydial infection, health care providers frequently rely on screening tests. Annual screening of all sexually active women aged < 25 years is recommended, as is screening of older women at increased risk for infection . In a community-based cohort of female college students, incident chlamydial infection was also associated with BV and high-risk HPV infection . Although chlamydia incidence might be higher among certain women aged 25 years in certain communities, overall, the largest proportion of infection is among women aged < 25 years .
Oral Sex And Sexually Transmitted Infections
Information about oral sex, the risk of getting and passing on sexually transmitted infections through oral sex, how to get tested and treated if you think you have an infection, and how to protect yourself can all be found on the Sexwise website
Many people believe you cannot get a sexually transmitted infection through oral sex, but it is possible.
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How To Clear Chlamydia Without Antibiotics
Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. While we are unable to recommend any treatment not recommended by the CDC in the treatment of chlamydia there are some who have utilized alternative treatment to reduce infection but does not cure it. These remedies include garlic, turmeric, or dieting.
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Syphilis Rash Sores Testing For Men & Women
According to the CDC, Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that can infect both men and women and lead to serious health problems if it is not treated. You can get syphilis by direct contact with syphilis sores during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. You can find sores on or around the penis, vagina, or anus, or in the rectum, on the lips, or in the mouth.
What Are The Side Effects Of Chlamydia Treatment
People who are allergic to the common medicines given to treat chlamydia may be given different antibiotics, such as amoxicillin or erythromycin.
Some people experience side effects during treatment, but these are usually mild. The most common side effects include tummy pain, diarrhea, feeling sick, and vaginal thrush in women.
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Gonorrhea Test For Men & Women
According to the CDC, Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease that can infect both men and women. It can cause infections in the genitals, rectum, and throat. Like Chlamydia, a lot of men and women do not have symptoms however, damage is still being done. Symptoms of Gonorrhea are again, much like a UTI with abnormal discharge, painful urination or painful bowel movements in both men and women.
How Is Chlamydia Diagnosed
You can opt for a Chlamydia test in the form of urine analysis, which can be done either at the doctors or at home. Please note that this test is used to identify the most common bacterium, Chlamydia Trachomatis. If you experience any of the above symptoms, we advise you to seek medical assistance. As stated before, an untreated case of chlamydia can lead to more serious health issues.
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We Offer Free Std/sti Testing & Treatment For Chlamydia & Gonorrhea For Men And Women Get Tested Today
Our free Sexually Transmitted Infection testing and treatment for chlamydia and gonorrhea is done by a urine-based test. When a positive test result returns, we offer free treatment with our physician-recommended antibiotics.
We also offer health education and discuss symptoms of other common STIs. If needed, we will provide you with referrals for full STD & STI testing, such as testing for HIV/AIDS, Herpes, Hepatitis B, Genital Warts, HPV, Crabs, Syphilis, and Trichomoniasis.
Please note that for test accuracy, our policy requires that you abstain from sexual contact for 7 days before your appointment. Please schedule your appointment accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stds:
If youre consideringabortion as a solution to an unexpected pregnancy , its important to be tested for STDs before making a decision. Many women with STDs dont have any symptoms so they dont realize theyre infected. But women who undergo an abortion with an untreated STD are more likely to develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease following the abortion procedure. PID can lead to serious health issues including infertility, ectopic pregnancy, abscess formation and chronic pelvic pain. Make an appointment for free STD testing and treatment.
Every year in the U.S. there are an estimated 19 million new STD infections and nearly half of all new STD cases occur in people ages 15 to 24. Many of the people who are infected dont experience any symptoms, so they may not know they have an STD. Anyone who is sexually active is at risk for contracting an STD. Condom use can reduce but not eliminate your risk of contracting certain STDs. If you are concerned that you may have been exposed to an STD or are experiencing symptoms, make an appointment for free STD testing and treatment.
Chlamydia is the most frequently reported bacterial sexually transmitted disease in the U.S. Any sexually active person can be infected with Chlamydia. The greater the number of sex partners, the greater the risk of infection. Make an appointmentfor free STD testing & treatment.
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How Is Chlamydia Treated
Since chlamydia is caused by a bacterial infection, treatment for chlamydia is a regimen of oral antibiotics. The most common recommended course of treatment for how to cure chlamydia is to prescribe Doxycycline or Azithromycin . The infection should clear after one to two weeks after taking the prescribed chlamydia pills.
What Are Oral Chlamydia Symptoms
Like most STDs, partners exposed to chlamydia may exhibit no symptoms. Similarly, in oral chlamydia, most people have no symptoms. When symptoms arise, some experience a sore throat. While others, may experience redness of the throat. In any situation, if you or a partner have been exposed to someone who has chlamydia, it is best to get treated as soon as possible to avoid complications.
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Ophthalmia Neonatorum Caused By C Trachomatis
A chlamydial etiology should be considered for all infants aged 30 days who experience conjunctivitis, especially if the mother has a history of chlamydial infection. These infants should receive evaluation and age-appropriate care and treatment.
Preventing Ophthalmia Neonatorum Caused by C. trachomatis
Neonatal ocular prophylaxis with erythromycin, the only agent available in the United States for this purpose, is ineffective against chlamydial ophthalmia neonatorum . As an alternative, prevention efforts should focus on prenatal screening for C. trachomatis, including
Neonates born to mothers for whom prenatal chlamydia screening has been confirmed and the results are negative are not at high risk for infection.
Diagnostic Considerations
Treatment
Erythromycin base or ethylsuccinate 50 mg/kg body weight/day orally, divided into 4 doses daily for 14 days*
* An association between oral erythromycin and azithromycin and infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis has been reported among infants aged < 6 weeks. Infants treated with either of these antimicrobials should be followed for IHPS signs and symptoms.
Although data regarding use of azithromycin for treating neonatal chlamydial infection are limited, available data demonstrate that a short therapy course might be effective . Topical antibiotic therapy alone is inadequate for treating ophthalmia neonatorum caused by chlamydia and is unnecessary when systemic treatment is administered.
Follow-Up
Can Chlamydia Symptoms Persist After Treatment
After you have begun chlamydia treatment, you should start to notice an improvement in your symptoms within a few days. Generally, most symptoms go away completely within 24 weeks. If any symptoms continue, such as pelvic pain or pain during sex, please seek followup with a provider as further treatment or investigations may be necessary. All sexual partners within at least the past 6 months should be notified so they can seek testing and treatment.
The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of a doctor with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never delay seeking or disregard professional medical advice because of something you have read here.
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Where To Get Free Std/sti Testing
Did you know that, if left untreated, STIs can cause serious damage to your body and can be passed to your partner without your knowledge? You do not have to have symptoms to be contagious you can spread the disease at any time.
The Colorado Springs Pregnancy Center offers free testing and treatment for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. HIV screening is also available.
For more information, or to schedule a test, please contact us today.
How Do You Get Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection. The bacteria are usually spread through sex or contact with infected genital fluids .
You can get chlamydia through:
- unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex
- sharing sex toys that are not washed or covered with a new condom each time they’re used
- your genitals coming into contact with your partner’s genitals this means you can get chlamydia from someone even if there’s no penetration, orgasm or ejaculation
- infected semen or vaginal fluid getting into your eye
It can also be passed by a pregnant woman to her baby.
Chlamydia cannot be passed on through casual contact, such as kissing and hugging, or from sharing baths, towels, swimming pools, toilet seats or cutlery.
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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
Want To Get Tested Or Treated For Chlamydia
You can get tested and/or treated for chlamydia in all sorts of places – you can:
- order a free chlamydia test kit online now
- go to a venue which is offering chlamydia tests where you live .
Venues include young people’s clinics, clubs, colleges, community contraception clinics, GP surgeries, genitourinary medicine and Sexual and Reproductive Health clinics , pharmacies and schools.
If in Bromley, Bexley, Croydon, Greenwich, Haringey, Hillingdon, Lambeth or Lewisham, when you are tested for chlamydia you will be tested for gonorrhoea at the same time.
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The Health Risks Of Chlamydia
For up to 40 percent of infected women, untreated chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease . PID effects include abdominal pain, fever, internal abscesses and long-lasting pelvic pain effects also include scarring of the fallopian tubes, which can cause infertility and increase the chance of potentially life-threatening ectopic or tubal pregnancies.
Men can develop scarring of the urethra, making urination difficult and occasionally causing infertility. Although rare, both sexes are at risk of a type of arthritis known as Reiter’s Syndrome that causes inflammation and swelling of the joints.
If a pregnant woman has chlamydia, her baby may be born prematurely, have eye infections or develop pneumonia.
What Are The Symptoms Of An Std
The symptoms of an STI are different depending on the infection. Many STIs do not cause any noticeable symptoms, so the only way to know for sure if you have an STI is to get tested. You can get an STI from having sex with someone who has no symptoms. Just like you, that person might not even know they have an STI. Some possible signs of an STI include the following:
- Pain when you urinate or have sex.
- Discharge from the vagina, penis, anus, or throat.
- Unexplained rash or lesion in the genital area.
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What Happens If Chlamydia Is Left Untreated For Too Long
When left untreated, chlamydia can increase your risk for other serious health problems, including HIV/AIDs and infertility.
Chlamydia can weaken your immune system to make you more vulnerable to other infections and diseases, including other STDs. According to the NIH, n females, untreated chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. In males, it may lead to infertility and infection of the epididymis. Untreated chlamydia may also cause arthritis, reports the NIH.
What Is The Difference Between Chlamydia And Gonorrhea
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are both sexually transmitted infections that are caused by bacteria. You can get both infections through oral, genital, or anal sex. Though they are different types of bacteria, some people may have both types of infection at the same time.
Some of the symptoms of these two STIs are the same, so if you have one of these conditions, its sometimes hard to be sure which one it is without having a test. Like chlamydia, persons with gonorrhea may also not have any symptoms.
Chlamydia is treated via oral antibiotics. Gonorrhea is treated by a combination of oral antibiotics and injection of antibiotics into your muscle.
If you suspect you may have an STI, it is important to get tested as soon as you can so that you can receive proper treatment.
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If You Tested Positive For One Stis
Generally speaking, your game plan will include:
If you tested positive for gonorrhea, chlamydia, or trichomoniasis
Usually your healthcare provider will prescribe a single dose of an antibiotic. The infection should clear up within a week.
You may be asked to return a few weeks after diagnosis for a test of cure to ensure that the antibiotic fully cleared the infection.
If you tested positive for HIV
Youll take a second test to confirm those results.
If your second test is HIV-positive, your healthcare provider will prescribe antiretroviral therapy to help manage the condition.
This combination of meds helps ensure that the infection doesnt develop into AIDS. It also reduces the risk of transmitting the infection to current or future sexual partners.
If you have a partner whos HIV-negative, they may choose to take pre-exposure prophylaxis to help minimize the risk of contraction.
If you tested positive for HPV
There are more than 100 different kinds of HPV. Although theres no current cure for HPV, many strains dont cause complications.
Some cause genital warts, which can be removed.
Some are linked to an increased risk of cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus, or throat. Next steps may include:
How To Treat Chlamydia
The best way to treat this health condition is with antibiotics. In this case, antibiotics are very effective and generally heal about 95% of all infections. At Apomeds we offer the following antibiotics:
As with all medications, these antibiotics have side effects. However, not all patients experience. The most common side effects are:
- Tummy pain
- Vaginal thrush
- Feeling sick
You can buy the two antibiotics only via prescription. On our platform, you can have a prescription issued via online diagnosis by our EU-licensed doctors. After that, your order will be processed by the mail-order pharmacy we collaborate with and you will receive the drug within 24 to 48 hours.
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Free Chlamydia Postal Test Kits
Chlamydia is very common, affects the 15-24 age group the most, and often goes untreated as it can have no symptoms.
Testing for chlamydia is really easy: it just involves peeing in a pot or taking a swab and you can order a postal test kit online.
Our online service is free and confidential, which means we wont share any details about your test. Youll get your results back within 10 working days, straight to your phone.
Chlamydia can be treated very easily by taking a course of antibiotics. However if left untreated it can seriously affect your health in a number of ways:
- It can cause infertility .
- It can cause reactive arthritis which affects your joints – this can be painful and cause long-term joint problems.
Find out if you’re eligible by entering your details on our order page. You need to be 16 or older to use this online ordering service. We’re currently able to offer this service in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Milton Keynes, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk.
If you live in certain areas you’ll also be offered a test for gonorrhoea.
The Consequences Of An Untreated Chlamydia Infection
Chlamydia Pneumoniae can cause inflammation of the bronchi and paranasal sinuses, as well as pneumonia. Also, Chlamydia Psittaci causes severe pneumonia. In men, an untreated Chlamydia infection may result in inflammation of the testicles and infertility. If the infection stays untreated in women, inflammation of the uterine lining, fallopian tubes and ovaries may cause scarring and obstruction of the fallopian tubes, which can lead to a high risk of ectopic pregnancy and infertility. It is estimated that around 100,000 women in the United Kingdom are infertile because of Chlamydia. In addition, an eye inflammation from these bacteria can ultimately lead to blindness.
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