CHLAMYDIA

Chlamydia is actually a group of different infections caused by different strains of the Chlamydia bacterium:
Chlamydia pneumonia causes a type of walking pneumonia
Chlamydia psittaci causes a type of pneumonia caused by birds
Chlamydia trachomatis causes various sexually transmitted diseases.
Chlamydia trachomatis is currently one of the most common and widespread bacterial STDs in the United States. It is estimated that more than 4 million people are infected each year. Rates of Chlamydia in the United States are highest in the West and Midwest, with Missouri having above average numbers.
As many as 1 in 10 adolescent girls tested for Chlamydia is infected.
Teenage girls have the highest rates of Chlamydia infection regardless of demographics or location:
15-19 year old girls 46% of infections
20-24 year old women 33% of infections
Chlamydia infection is widespread geographically and highly prevalent among these economically disadvantaged young women between 16 and 24 years old.
People infected with Chlamydia often have no symptoms therefore are often unaware they are infected and may not seek professional health care.
Approximately:
50% of men
75% of women

Chlamydial Infection
Chlamydial infection is a curable sexually transmitted disease (STD), which can be transmitted
during oral, vaginal, or anal sex with an infected partner, from a mother to her newborn baby during delivery.
When diagnosed, Chlamydia can be easily treated and cured. Untreated, Chlamydia can cause serious long and short term health problems in men and women as well as in newborn babies of infected mothers, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can cause:
Infertility
Tubal pregnancy (which can sometimes be fatal)
Chlamydia may also result in problems for the newborn such as:
neonatal conjunctivitis, pneumonia

SYMPTOMS
Asymptomatic
It is called Asymptomatic if there are no symptoms.
In the beginning Chlamydia may not make you feel anything so you may not even know you have it. It can just come and go.
Those who do notice that they have this infection will have certain symptoms for weeks or months, depending on the severity of the infection and whether treatment was undertaken early, or not at all. But, as it gets worse, you will begin to experience different symptoms
In Pre-puberty Girls
Vaginal discharge and odor (Vaginitis)
In Post-puberty Girls
Discharge (off-white) and odor which comes from the cervix being infected In Women
Chlamydia is often silent in women, with up to 90% of women asymptomatic. Women can carry the bacteria for months or even years without knowing it. This makes screening very import
Symptoms can start to occur within 3 weeks after getting the infection and include the following:
Constant lower abdominal pain
Mild, milky or yellow mucus-like vaginal discharge
Nausea and fever
Pain during urination
Pain during sexual intercourse
Spotting between periods
Chlamydia can also lead to:
Cervicitis which is inflammation of the cervix.
Salpingitis which is inflammation of the fallopian tubes
Ectopic Pregnancy
If a pregnant woman has Chlamydia trachomatis the risk of an Ectopic pregnancy is much higher. This is where the fetus does not grow in the womb but in the ectopic tubes.
Chlamydia can silently linger for months without symptoms and the infection may move inside the body if it is not treated, where it may cause:
Epidydimitis in men
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) causes:
infertility
chronic pain
even death
In men
Chlamydia causes something called NON-SPECIFIC URETHRITIS (NSU) which can produce symptoms such as:
Burning on urination (non-gonoccocal urethritis (NGU))
Groin pain and swelling (Epididymitis)
Irritation around opening of the penis
Mild, sticky, milky or mucus-like discharge from penis
Pain when urinating
Swollen testes (which if not treated can lead to infertility)
Testicular pain Symptoms may seem to "come and go"

In babies
1/4 of babies passing down the infected birth canal will get Chlamydia Pneumonia
1/2 of all babies born to infected women after delivery through the birth canal will develop Chlamydial Conjunctivitis (pink eye) a week after birth
In severe cases blindness may occur
The bacteria can be easily passed to the developing child within the uterus
The child may have respiratory diseases for a long time if not treated
Other conditions:
The infection can occur in the Pharynx (throat) from oral-genital contact
The infection can be spread to the eyes causing inflammation of the lining of the eye (pink eye)
In tropical climates, a particular strain of C. trachomatis causes an STD called Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) which can get into the skin through tiny cuts.
After months or years it can spread to other lymph nodes causing:
Genital problems
Pain
Proctitis (inflamed rectum)
Skin breakdown (ulceration)
Swelling
TRANSMISSION
The bacteria causing the infection is transmitted by direct person-to-person contact through:
Blood
Passing it to a baby during birth
Semen from the penis
Touching eyes when infected
Vaginal fluid
Risk Groups
Babies (from infected mothers)
Sexually active people, regardless of their sexual preference
Sexually active teenagers (about 45%)
DIAGNOSIS
If you have certain symptoms or feel differently to how you normally feel and have been with an infected person, go to a doctor for confirmation.
Chlamydial infection can be confused with Gonorrhea because the symptoms of both diseases are similar and in some situations they occur together.
Laboratory Tests
A sample of the patient's genital secretions is tested in a laboratory using one of a wide variety of quick and inexpensive laboratory tests
Culture
Growing the organism in specialized tissue culture is one of the most definitive tests.
These tests are:
Difficult to do
Expensive
Test results not available for 3-7 days
DNA amplification
A process called DNA amplification is used to detect the genes of the organisms in genital secretions (urine). This method does not require an invasive sample, pelvic examination or swabbing of the penis
These tests are:
Less expensive
More rapid
Performed during a routine checkup
Slightly less accurate
Results available within 24 hours
Amplicor Chlamydia Trachomatis Test
Recently, a new Chlamydia test became available called Amplicor Chlamydia Trachomatis Test, which is carried out using:
A sample of a man's urine
A swab from a woman's cervix or urethra
Results are available within 4 hours and not 3-7 days
PREVENTION
Due to lack of symptoms people who are infected with Chlamydia may unknowingly infect their sex partners.
If you are sexually active, you can lower your risk by following these guidelines:
Abstinence is the only way to be 100% sure of protection from Chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases
Drugs reduce your ability to make sensible decisions, such a:
becoming sexually intimate when drinking alcohol and/or taking drugs
Condoms or diaphragms should be used during sexual intercourse:
anal, oral, vaginal
Form a monogamous relationship
be tested before you have sex
both partners are faithful
Limit your number of sexual partners
risk increases as number of partners increases
Persons who have more than one sex partner, especially women under 25, should be tested regularly
Regular check-ups for STD's
do not wait for symptoms to appear
testing should be part of your regular examination
Recommendations
Annual screening of all sexually active females under 20 years of age
Pregnant women should be tested
Women with infection of the cervix should be tested
Screening of women over 20 with one or more risk factors for Chlamydia:
Diaphragm contraception
Lack of condom
Multiple sex partners
New sex partner
TREATMENT
Chlamydia can be in your body for a very long time unless treated with antibiotics. Usually this consists of a 7-10 day treatment program.
A number of antibiotics are used to treat Chlamydial infections including:
Amoxicillin
Azithromycin (one-day course)
Doxycycline (seven day course)
Erythromycin
Tetracycline (some people are allergic to the drug)
Ofloxacin
able to be used during pregnancy
Note
* Penicillin is not effective against Chlamydial infections
* The prescribed medication should be taken, even after symptoms disappear, until advised by your health practitioner
* All sexual partners of a person with Chlamydial infection need to be evaluated and treated to prevent re-infection
Screening and treatment of Chlamydia:
decreases the incidence of complications, such as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
reduces the prevalence of lower genital tract infection

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

If Chlamydia is untreated up to 40% of women with the infection will develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), a serious infection of the reproductive organs.

As many as half of all cases of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) may be due to Chlamydial infection, often without symptoms, producing scarring of the fallopian tubes which can:

block the tubes and prevent fertilization occurring

interfere with the passage of the fertilized egg down into the uterus causing the egg to implant in the fallopian tube (ectopic or tubal pregnancy)

threaten the life of the mother and fetus

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is the most common cause of pregnancy-related death among poor teenagers in the inner cites and rural areas

EFFECTS
Complications
When treated early, there are no long term consequences of Chlamydia. Serious complications can result however when left untreated.
In men
Long term complications may include:
Epididymitis - an inflammation of the testicles that can cause sterility
Prostatitis - an infection of the prostate gland
Reiter's Syndrome - an autoimmune, arthritis-like condition
Sterility

In women
Long term complication may include:
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
an infection that spreads from the vagina and cervix to the the lining of the uterus and fallopian tubes and can lead to sterility
Perihepatitis
an infection around the liver
Reiter's Syndrome
an automimmune, arthritis-like condition
Sterility
Long term complication in infants may include:
Blindness
Ear infections
Eye infections
Pneumonia
Death
Effects of Chlamydia in Pregnancy & Newborns

Pregnancy
Of women with Pelvic inflammatory Disease caused by the Chlamydia infection, 9% will have a life-threatening tubal (ectopic pregnancy). Tubal pregnancy is the leading cause of first-trimester, pregnancy-related deaths in American women
Newborns
Chlamydia infection during pregnancy can result in Neonatal Conjunctivitis (eye infection) usually within the first ten days
Symptoms include:
eye discharge
swollen eyelids
Chlamydia infection during pregnancy can also result in Pneumonia, usually with 3-6 weeks
Symptoms include:
a progressively worsening cough
congestion
Both conditions can be treated successfully with antibiotics
Routine testing of pregnant women for Chlamydial infection is recommended because of the risks to newborn babies.