Infection Definition - Chlamydia

Chlamydia Trachomatis: Chlamydia is a bacteria which is roughly responsible for 50% of infections related to Infertility - Prostatitis and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.

About 20% of men and as many as 70% of women have no symptoms, those with symptoms can experience:

.. with men

• Tender testicles or pain
• Burning and pain during urination
• Rectal discharge or pain
• Discharge from the penis

.. with women:

• Symptoms of PID, salpingitis
• Burning and pain during urination
• Vaginal discharge
• Rectal pain or discharge
• Painful sexual intercourse

Treatment

Chlamydia treatment involves antibiotics, typically tetracyclines; azithromycin, or erythromycin.

Chlamydia is often found in concert with gonorrhea or syphilis, so you should also be checked for other sexually transmitted diseases.
It is very important to ensure sexual partners are checked, especially so the infection(s) are not passed back negating treatment.

It is extremely important to arrange a followup check after treatment courses are finished.

Early antibiotic treatment is usually successful. Unsuccessful or untreated infection, however, may lead to serious reproductive and general health complications.

Those complications can lead to:

.. in women

• Inflammation of the cervix
• The infection further spreading to the uterus or the fallopian tubes, causing salpingitis or pelvic inflammatory disease
• If a women is pregnant, the infection may spread to the uterus causing endometritis and the new-born may develop chlamydia-related conjunctivitis and pneumonia.

.. with men:

• Epididymitis, which can cause sterility if not treated within 6 to 8 weeks
• a potential cause of prostatitis

With many people having asymptomatic chlamydia, all sexually active adults should be checked regularly for the infection.

The best way to avoid such a potentially serious infection is to use condoms with new partners, and get medical help as soon as ANY infection-like symptoms appear. Do not underate chlamydia, it can destroy your fertility and create serious health problems.

References:
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/chlamydial-genital-infection ..accessed 15 Aug 2013 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=19828674 ..accessed 12 Mar 2013 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=23236032 ..accessed 26 Feb 2013 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=20410164 ..accessed 14 Feb 2013 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20737716 ..accessed 23 Jan 2013