Chlamydia is now the most common nonviral sexually transmitted disease in the United States. It affects more men and women than syphilis and gonorrhea combined. In fact, chances are that persons who have had these other STDs are playing host to chlamydia as well. Chlamydia can also accelerate the appearance of AIDS symptoms for persons infected with HIV.
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of chlamydia in men include:
Burning or discomfort when
urinating
Whitish discharge from the tip of the penis
Pain in the scrotum
In women, symptoms include:
Slight yellowish-green vaginal
discharge
Vaginal irritation
Need to urinate often
Pain when urinating
Chronic abdominal pain and bleeding between
menstrual periods
These symptoms can, however, be so mild that they often go unnoticed. It is estimated that 75% of women and 25% of men who have chlamydia have no symptoms until complications set in. If symptoms do appear, they usually do so 2-4 weeks after being infected. The only sure way to know whether or not you have chlamydia is to be tested.
Doctors recommend that sexually active people who are not involved in a long-term, monogamous relationship be tested periodically. You should be aware, though, that the most reliable test for chlamydia is a tissue culture that is expensive and not widely available. For that reason, many doctors use a simpler slide test instead. A small amount of fluid is collected from the infected site with a cotton swab. Sometimes the results are available the same day of the test.
Treatment
Anyone who has chlamydia should be treated with oral antibiotics such as
tetracycline, erythromycin, or azithromycin. Doctors will treat the infected sexual
partner even if he or she doesn't show any symptoms. Sex should be avoided until treatment
is completed in both the person affected and in their sex partners. If left untreated,
chlamydia can cause a variety of serious problems, including infection and inflammation of
the prostate and surrounding structures in men and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and
infertility in women. Infants born to mothers who have chlamydia are likely to develop
pneumonia or serious eye infections in the first several months of life as well as
permanent lung damage later on.
| For Men: Do you have any of these problems?  A whitish discharge from the penis Burning or discomfort when urinating Pain and swelling in the scrotum |
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| For Women: Do you have these problems? A yellowish-green vaginal discharge Frequent need to urinate Chronic abdominal pain Bleeding between menstrual periods |
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| For Men and Women: Does your sexual partner have, or do you suspect he or she might have a sexually transmitted disease? Does he or she have multiple sex partners? |
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| Do you want to rule out the presence of chlamydia or other
sexually transmitted diseases for any of these reasons: Because you or your sex partner
have had multiple sex partners Because you are considering a new sexual
relationship Because you are planning to get married or
pregnant For peace of mind |
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HEALTH AT HOME - Your Complete Guide to Symptoms, Solutions, and Self-Care © 1999 by Don R. Powell. American Institute for Preventive Medicine.
Date updated 04/21/99