Chlamydia trachomatis (CT)
Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the commonest STD that can infect both men and women.
The incidence is 2-3 times that of gonorrhoea. You can get CT by having anal, vaginal or oral sex with someone who has Chlamydia. Occasionally, you can also get CT infection in your eyes (conjunctivitis) from spread by the fingers from the genitals to the eye. Also, if you are pregnant, you can pass on Chlamydia to your baby during childbirth which could cause eye infection or lung infection in your newborn.
Risk factors:
Multiple sex partners or a new sexual partner
Younger age group (age 15-24 years)
Unprotected sex
History of previous sexually transmitted disease (STD) or current co-infection with another STD.
Symptoms:
Most individuals with Chlamydia have no symptoms, with up to 50% of infected males and 80% of infected females remaining asymptomatic. As a result, diagnosis is usually delayed. Even when Chlamydia causes no symptoms, it can still damage your reproductive system.
If you do have symptoms, they may appear several days to weeks after having sex with an infected partner.
– Penile discharge (usually yellow thick discharge from the urethra)
– Pain or burning sensation when urinating
– Itch or discomfort around the penis
– Pain and swelling in one or both testicles (less common)
– Fever
Treatment:
Chlamydia can be easily cured with the right antibiotics. Sexual partners also should be tested and treated.
After treatment of Chlamydia it is recommended to get tested again to avoid treatment failures (rare), relapse or re-infection. Re-infection is very common and is usually related to non-compliant of medications, non-treatment of infected sexual partners or acquisition from a new partner; hence it is important that all sexual partners should be tested and treated.
You should refrain from having sex until both you and your sex partner have completed treatment or as advised by your doctor.
The use of latex condoms can help minimize the chances of re-infection.
Complications:
Chlamydia can cause epididymitis (infection in the tube that carries sperm from the testicles) causing pain and fever. Rarely, it causes infertility in men.
Also, untreated Chlamydia may increase your chances of getting other STDs, especially gonorrhoea.
Patients with Chlamydia also have a higher frequency of getting Reiter syndrome (inflammation of the urethra, eyes (conjunctivitis) and joints).
Untreated chlamydia is also linked with an increased risk of cervical cancer and also HIV infection. If you think you are at risk of contracting chlamydia, it would be advisable to get tested as it is an easy and quick urine test and chlamydia is easily treated.