Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection that is transmitted by the pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia can affect the cervix, fallopian tubes, uterus, throat, urethra, and scrotum and is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection.
Chlamydia is transmitted through oral, anal, or vaginal sex. In newborns, chlamydial infection can cause conjunctivitis or pneumonia, which can be caused by the passage of the fetus through the mother's
infected birth canal.
Risk factors for contracting chlamydia include:
Multiple sexual partners
Age 15-24 years.
Bad social conditions
Sex without a condom
Presence of other sexually transmitted infections, previous sexually transmitted infections
The main symptoms of chlamydia are painful urination (dysuria), frequent urination, unusual discharge
from the penis or vagina, bleeding or light bleeding outside of the menstrual cycle or after sexual intercourse in women, and sometimes pain in the abdomen or pelvis.
In the case of chlamydia, the incubation period is 1-3 weeks. In 50% of men and 80% of women infected with chlamydia are asymptomatic (have no clinical manifestations).
Chlamydia can cause vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina), cervicitis (inflammation of the cervix) in women, and urethritis (inflammation of the urethra) in men.
Untreated chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease in women and is the most common cause of epididymitis (inflammation of the testicles) in men younger than 35 years of age.
Patients with a sexually transmitted infection are at high risk of contracting another sexually transmitted infection. The most common combination of chlamydia with gonorrhea. In 40% of women infected with chlamydia and in 20% of men, gonorrhea is diagnosed as a result of examinations, therefore, before testing for sexually transmitted infections, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination for sexually transmitted infections.
Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics and the cure rate is 95%. The effectiveness is high if the treatment was started on time and the patient completed the full course of treatment. If the sexual partner is not treated, the likelihood of double STDs increases; if a sexually transmitted infection is detected, all sexual partners should be treated.
Adviсe
Appropriate counseling should be given to infected persons. Possible complications of chlamydia, including infertility. To prevent re-infection, it is necessary to describe the risks in detail. Sexual contact should be avoided until treatment is completed and all sexual partners have been examined and treated appropriately. To minimize the possibility of a double STD, latex condoms must be used.