Topic: Chlamydia
Description
Chlamydia is a sexually transmissible infection (STI). Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) is a tiny bacteria that causes an infection in the genital area. It can get into the urethra (the delicate tube that runs from your bladder), the cervix (neck of the womb) or the uterus. It can also infect the anus and, very occasionally, it can spread from the genital area and affect the liver and joints. Chlamydia is spread by sexual contact. You can get chlamydia through vaginal, anal or oral sex.
Symptoms
Often people do not know their have the infection because there are no signs or symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they usually develop about five to 14 days after the bacteria has been introduced into the genital area through having sex with someone who has chlamydia.
Women with chlamydia may notice that they have:
- crampy pain in the lower abdomen (just above the pubic bone)
- menstrual changes including longer, heavier periods which may be more painful
- pain when passing urine
- bleeding or spotting between periods or after having sex
- pain during or after sex
- a change in their vaginal discharge (more discharge or a change in colour and smell).
Men with chlamydial infection in their urethra may notice:
- a discharge from the penis
- pain when passing urine
- swollen and sore testes if the infection goes up the urethra (the testes are where sperm are produced and are in the scrotum).
In men and women, chlamydia can be spread through oral sex, causing infection of the throat. Chlamydia can also be spread through anal sex, causing infection of the rectum (back passage). Sometimes this can cause pain in the rectum and discharge from the anus. Mostly, it does not cause any symptoms.
Treatment
If you have had unprotected sex (that is, sex without a condom) you could have chlamydia. You can go to your local doctor, family planning clinic or sexual health clinic.
The doctor or nurse can test for chlamydia by:
- taking a urine sample and sending it to the laboratory for testing (it usually takes a few days for the result to come back).
- taking a swab from the cervix in women, or from the opening of the penis in men or from the anus in anyone who has had unprotected anal sex (this is done with a cotton bud or similar device and does not usually hurt).
If you think you have been at risk of getting chlamydia, it’s best to have a sexual health check to be sure.
If you find out that you do have chlamydia, anyone you have had sex with in the past few months will need to also be tested. This is to make sure that they are cleared of the infection and to prevent you being re-infected by your partner or partners. If you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about telling your partner the doctor and nurse will assist by contacting your partner or partners. Your name is not mentioned to ensure it is a confidential process. Remember, it is very important for your partner’s health and the health of other people they have sex with.
Chlamydia can be effectively treated, often with just a single dose of antibiotics. In some cases however a longer course of treatment may be needed.
To ensure the infection has been cured:
- If required to take tablets over several days,take all the tablets even if the symptoms disappear otherwise the infection may not be properly cured.
- It is best not to have sex until the tablets are finished and you have returned to the clinic for a follow up appointment. Usually people come back to the clinic about one week after treatment to make sure that everything is well and to check there were no problems with the medications.
- You will also need to have another test a few weeks later to make sure the infection is cured.
Health Outcome
Chlamydia is the most common bacterial STI in Australia. It is most common amongst people aged between 15 and 29 years. In 1999, more than 4,500 people in Queensland were found to have chlamydia. Chlamydia is sometimes called ‘the silent STI’ because most of the time it does not cause any symptoms. This means that someone with a chlamydial infection in their genital area may not know they have it and can pass it on to someone else through sexual contact.
Women
- Without treatment, chlamydia can spread upwards from the cervix to the uterus (womb), fallopian tubes, ovaries and other parts of the lower abdomen. This type of infection is called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is a serious illness that often causes fever and pain in the lower abdomen. Women with PID sometimes need to go to hospital for treatment. Often however, a woman can have PID without knowing it.
- PID can cause the fallopian tubes to become blocked with scar tissue and this may make a woman infertile. The other major problem with scar tissue is that if a women does become pregnant, the pregnancy may be in the fallopian tube (ectopic pregnancy). Such pregnancies cannot continue as a normal pregnancy, and may endanger the life of the woman.
- Very occasionally, chlamydia can affect the joints, resulting in joint pain, swelling and stiffness.
- Babies born to mothers with untreated chlamydia may develop eye or lung infections. This is why it is important for pregnant women to have an antenatal check, which should include a test for chlamydia, early in their pregnancy.
Men
- Inflammation in the testicles caused by chlamydia can lead to infertility.
- Chlamydia can affect the joints, resulting in joint pain, swelling and stiffness, inflammation of the eyes, rash, and can cause chronic infection of the urethra.
Prevention
The best way to avoid getting chlamydia is to practice safe sex: that is to use a condom when you have vaginal or anal sex and to use dental dams or condoms during oral sex.
If you have had unprotected sex, you may be at risk of chlamydia infection.
- Practise safe sex. Always using condoms when you have vaginal or anal sex is the best way to avoid getting a chlamydial infection. Using water-based lubricant with condoms is recommended.
- If you or your partner have more than one sexual partner and do not use condoms, have regular sexual health checkups.
Help and Assistance
For more information on chlamydia, you can talk to:
- your local doctor
- your local sexual health clinic
- your local family planning clinic.
Other Resources
Queensland Health Sexual Health website
- Animated Movies - Chlamydia in women and Chlamydia in men
Chlamydia testing made easy website
Women’s Health Queensland Wide
Related Content
Last Updated: 28th April, 2008
Date Valid to: 14th November, 2006
