Lightly edited repost of our original Medium article
Perhaps best known for its appearance in this incredible joke about the abysmal state of sex ed in Mean Girls, Chlamydia is an acute bacterial infection spread by oral, anal, or vaginal sex. It is the most common bacterial STI in the United States and infects more than 100 million people worldwide every year.
TL;DR 📚
- What: Chlamydia
- Type of infection: Bacterial and acute, treatable with antibiotics
- Symptoms: Usually asymptomatic. Can cause unusual vaginal or penile discharge, burning during urination, or pain during sex
- Transmission: Oral, anal, or vaginal sex
- Prevention: Barrier methods
- Testing: Vaginal swab or urine test. Sometimes, a swab of the anus or throat may also be taken
- Treatment: Antibiotics
Symptoms
While chlamydia is asymptomatic in the majority of cases, symptoms may still occur. They typically appear 1 to 3 weeks after transmission. For infections in the cervix, symptoms may include bleeding or unusual vaginal discharge and painful intercourse. Infections in the urethra (either penile or vaginal) may cause a burning sensation during urination. For people with penises, symptoms may include yellow or green discharge from the urethra or testicle pain. All people may experience lower abdominal pain from the infection.
Chlamydia can also infect the anus, throat, and rarely, the eyes. Anal infection symptoms include pain, discharge, or bleeding. Throat infections may cause sore throat, cough, or fever. And chlamydia infecting the eyes may present as eye irritation or inflammation similar to conjunctivitis.
Transmission
Chlamydia is most commonly transmitted through penile-vaginal, penile-anal, or oral sex without barriers. The bacteria (called Chlamydia trachomatis) is carried in semen and vaginal fluid. The eyes may become infected if they come in contact with semen or vaginal fluid, and chlamydia can also be spread through childbirth.
Prevention
Chlamydia can be prevented with the use of barrier methods including external (“male”) and internal (“female”) condoms and dental dams. Knowing your partner’s status and getting regular STI screenings (at least annually and ideally between sexual partners) are also important parts of preventing transmission.
Testing
Infection typically shows up 1–3 weeks after exposure and testing for chlamydia is most commonly done with a vaginal swab or urine sample. If infection in the throat or anus is suspected, those areas may also be swabbed. If you’re not sure where to begin, you can read our guide on how to get tested.
Treatment and Follow-Up
Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics. It is important to complete the full course of medication and abstain from sex for seven days after a single dose of antibiotics or for the full duration of a seven-day course. If symptoms persist for more than a few days after treatment, return to a medical professional for follow-up. It is also recommended to be re-screened three months after the initial treatment.
While chlamydia is curable and usually asymptomatic, it is important to treat it to prevent transmission as well as avoid potential long-term complications of untreated infection such as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), ectopic pregnancy, or reactive arthritis. Untreated STIs can also leave you more vulnerable to other infections.
The Bottom Line
Chlamydia is an extremely common STI and is easily curable with antibiotics. If you have recently had unprotected sex with a partner of unknown STI status or are having any symptoms, go and get yourself tested. And as always, STIs don’t make you dirty and are nothing to be ashamed of.
Sources
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chlamydia/
- https://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/stdfact-chlamydia.htm
- https://www.healthline.com/health/std/chlamydia
- https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/chlamydia
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