Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in both men and women, and it is curable. It often causes no symptoms — yet it can permanently damage a woman's reproductive system, making pregnancy difficult or impossible, and can cause a potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy (one outside the womb).
Symptoms
When symptoms appear, it may be several weeks after sex with an infected partner.
| Who | Possible symptoms |
|---|---|
| Women | abnormal vaginal discharge; burning when peeing |
| Men | discharge from the penis; burning when peeing; less often, pain and swelling in the testicles |
| Rectal infection (from receptive anal sex, or spread from another site) | often none; sometimes rectal pain, discharge or bleeding |
See a provider if you notice symptoms, or if a partner has an STI or its signs.
How it spreads
Through vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom with an infected partner. A pregnant woman can pass it to her baby during childbirth, which can cause serious health problems — pregnant women should ask about testing and get treated early.
Lowering your risk
The only sure way to avoid STIs is not to have vaginal, anal or oral sex. Otherwise:
- a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has tested negative;
- condoms, used correctly, every time.
Testing
CDC recommends yearly tests for:
- sexually active gay and bisexual men;
- sexually active women under 25;
- women 25 and older with risk factors, such as a new partner, several partners or a partner with an STI.
Testing is also recommended in pregnancy in some cases. A urine sample or a vaginal swab is usually enough.
Treatment
The right medicine cures chlamydia, but cannot undo damage already done.
- Take all of it, and don't share it.
- No sex until you and your partners finish treatment: wait seven days after a single-dose treatment, or until the last dose of a seven-day course.
- Reinfection is common: get retested about three months later, even if partners were treated.
If it goes untreated
- Women: pelvic inflammatory disease, which can scar the fallopian tubes and cause ectopic pregnancy, infertility and long-term pelvic pain.
- Men: rarely, fever and pain in the tubes attached to the testicles, occasionally leading to infertility.
- Anyone: a higher chance of getting or passing on HIV.
Sources
Based on "Chlamydia – CDC Fact Sheet," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain. A stock photo collage is not reproduced.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.cdc.gov
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