Chlamydia is an infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis that is spread primarily through sexual contact. It affects both men and women and is most common among young adults, though anyone who is sexually active is at risk.
It is largely symptomless so routine screening is strongly advised, particularly for sexually active people or those with new or multiple partners.
The infection is treatable and curable, but early diagnosis is key in order to prevent complications such as infertility.
When symptoms do occur, they often appear within one to three weeks after exposure. In women, symptoms may include:
In men, symptoms may include:
Both men and women may also develop chlamydial infection in the rectum or throat, leading to discomfort, pain, or discharge, depending on the site of infection.
If left untreated in women, chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which may result in chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy or infertility. In men, untreated chlamydia may cause inflammation of the testicles and epididymis, which in rare cases can lead to infertility.
Pregnant women with untreated infection may pass it on to their babies during childbirth, causing eye infections or pneumonia in newborns.
Chlamydia is spread through unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected person. Transmission can occur even if the infected partner has no symptoms. It can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth, but it is not spread through casual contact such as hugging, kissing, sharing food, or toilet seats.
Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics, usually a single dose of azithromycin or a course of doxycycline. Treatment is simple and highly effective, but it is important that both the patient and their sexual partners are treated to avoid re-infection.
Safe sex and regular testing can prevent spread of the disease. Prompt testing and treatment of partners is also important.
Chlamydia has been present for thousands of years and was first described in 1907. It was recognised as a sexually transmitted infection in the 1970s and since the late 1990s it has been the most common STI in Europe and the United States. The number of reported cases of the disease in England has fallen in recent years. In 2024 there were 168,000 diagnoses of chlamydia compared to more than 200,000 in 2019 – however, the number of tests has also fallen so the true figure may be higher.
Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。