How Is Chlamydia Transmitted?
Chlamydia infection is a sexually transmitted infection that is responsible for the bacteria called “chlamydia trachomatis”. This bacteria is found in the cervix, urethra, and rectum. Although rare, chlamydia can also affect other parts of the body, including the throat and eyes.
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in developed countries.
How Is It Transmitted?
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection. The disease is not inherited.
What are the Symptoms?
Chlamydia is asymptomatic, especially among women, without any symptoms. If left untreated, chlamydia can cause serious problems in women, including infertility. Chlamydia symptoms usually appear 1 to 3 weeks after exposure, but may occur much later. 70-75% of women infected with chlamydia are asymptomatic. It is estimated that a significant proportion of men have no symptoms. Although it does not give any symptoms in general, some women have nonspecific symptoms such as mild yellowish discharge, burning while urinating, frequent urination, burning and itching in the vaginal area, redness, swelling, wounds in the external genital organs, pain during intercourse and abnormal bleeding, which are not specific to calmidia infection. In men, the most common finding is discharge from the penis and burning while urinating.
Chlamydia in women; It can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In patients with PID, an increase in pregnancy complications such as ectopic pregnancy (extra uterine pregnancy) and preterm delivery may be expected. Recurrent PID infections can damage the fallopian tubes, leading to reduced fertility or infertility problems.
Chlamydia can cause cervicitis. Symptoms include a yellowish discharge, pelvic pain, lower back pain, and pain during sexual intercourse. In cases of chronic cervicitis, intense inflammation in the cervix causes the development of cervical cysts. Chlamydia complications are less common in women than in men. In men with chlamydia infection, it can cause epididymitis, urethritis, renal failure and infertility.
It can also be transmitted from a pregnant woman infected with chlamydia to the baby during delivery. It manifests itself as an eye infection called opthalmia neonatorum or pneumonia in the baby. Rectal and genital chlamydia in babies exposed to bacteria during birth can last for about 1 year.
Chlamydia infection can be safely treated in a pregnant woman who has not been treated before. It is possible to treat the infection during pregnancy without causing a potential eye or lung infection in the baby. If breastfeeding people have Chlamydia, they should definitely consult their doctor.
When chlamydia infection is detected in older children, sexual harassment should be considered first.
How Is It Diagnosed?
The chlamydia test is the only way to know for sure whether a person is infected or not. The diagnosis is made according to the test of a female patient with a urine sample or vaginal examination and vaginal discharge sample. In men, a diagnostic test can be performed with either a urine sample or a swab taken from the tip of the penis or from the mouth of the urethra. Many laboratories can now achieve safe conclusions by taking only one urine sample.
How is it treated?
Once the infection is diagnosed, chlamydia treatment is simple and effective. If the antibiotic tablets used in the treatment are taken properly and correctly by the patient, it can be 95% effective and healing can be achieved in a short time. If the patient wants a baby, that is, if it is not protected, it is important for the doctor to be aware of the possibility of pregnancy. In addition to these, the sexual partners of the patient in the last 6 months should be questioned and tested and they should be treated if needed.
What are the Ways of Protection?
Since it is a type of sexually transmitted disease, it is essential to use condoms during intercourse. It is recommended that women be tested for chlamydia once a year.
Who is in the Risk Group?
Since it is the most common sexually transmitted disease, anyone who has unprotected sex is at risk.
