STIs   Chlamydia

Chlamydia is an infection caused by chlamydia trachomatis, a bacteria-like germ. It is mainly a genital infection but sometimes it can infect the throat or the rectum. It is passed on by person to person sexual contact - vaginal or anal sex. It is probably the commonest sexually transmitted infection in the world. About 1 in 20 people aged between 15 and 50 will get chlamydia at some point in their lives. Chlamydia tends to infect women more than men and has more severe consequences for women, e.g. infertility. Spread of chlamydia can be prevented by proper use of a condom.

Women may notice more discharge than usual from the vagina or there may be pain or stinging when passing urine. However 3 out of 4 women with chlamydia will have no symptoms. In men there may be pain or stinging when urine is passed and there may be a discharge at the tip of the penis, most commonly first thing in the morning. Up to 50% of men with chlamydia will have no symptoms at all.

There are now a number of tests available for chlamydia which usually involve taking swabs from the areas likely to be affected. For women a doctor can take samples by gently swabbing the cervix and for men, by taking a swab from the tip of the penis, or by giving a urine sample. These tests are available from your general practitioner or your genito-urinary medicine clinic. The swabs will be sent to a laboratory and it will take a few days for results to be returned.

Chlamydia is treated with antibiotic drugs.

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