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Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection in Australia. It is most common amongst people aged between 15 and 29 years. Chlamydia is sometimes called "the silent sexually transmitted infection (STI)" because most of the time it does not cause any symptoms. This means that someone with this infection in their genital area may not know they have it and can pass it on to someone else through sexual contact.
Chlamydia is treatable with antibiotics. Symptoms, which may occur from 5 - 14 days following contact with the infection, may include a slight discharge from the penis and a tingling sensation or pain with urination in men. A female may experience irregular bleeding, pain during intercourse, a vaginal discharge, abdominal pain, or pain with urination. Most commonly, though, females will experience no symptoms unless the Chlamydia spreads up the genital tract from the cervix to the uterus, ovaries or abdomen. People are sometimes afraid to tell their sexual partner that they have an infection. Although it's hard to talk about, it is necessary to do so. It is very important for the partner to get treatment as well. Untreated chlamydia can spread upwards from the cervix causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). It is a serious illness that often causes fever and pain in the lower abdomen. Women with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease sometimes need to go to hospital for treatment. Often however, a woman can have PID without knowing it. The complications of a spreading infection include: - infertility or ectopic pregnancy when the fallopian tubes have become damaged
- joint pain, swelling and stiffness.
- eye or lung infections in babies born to mothers with chlamydia. This is why it is important for pregnant women to have an antenatal check, which should include a test for chlamydia, early in their pregnancy.
- In men, inflammation in the testicles caused by chlamydia can lead to infertility.
- inflammation of the eyes, rash, and chronic urethritis can also occur in men
If you have questions about chlamydia, contact your doctor, the STD clinic at your local public hospital or Family Planning Clinic Article #4951 Copyright (c) 2002 McKesson. All Rights Reserved. |
