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Chlamydia

Published by Bupa's health information team, January 2010.

This factsheet is for people who have chlamydia, or who would like information about it.

Chlamydia is a disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It can be transmitted by unprotected sex or passed from an infected mother to her baby during a vaginal birth.

• About chlamydia
• Symptoms of chlamydia
• Complications of chlamydia
• Causes of chlamydia
• Diagnosis of chlamydia
• Treatment of chlamydia
• Prevention of chlamydia
• Questions and answers
• Related topics
• Further information
• Sources

About chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK, particularly in men and women who are under 25. The number of people with chlamydia is rising.

Chlamydia can easily be treated but if left untreated, it can cause health and fertility problems.

Symptoms of chlamydia

Around half of men and seven in 10 women with chlamydia don't have any symptoms. You can pass chlamydia onto your sexual partner(s) even if you don't have any symptoms. If you do have symptoms of chlamydia, these usually start around one to three weeks after getting the infection.

In women, symptoms of chlamydia include:

• increased or unusual discharge from the vagina
• bleeding from the vagina after sex or between periods
• pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis
• pain when passing urine
• pain during sex

In men, symptoms of chlamydia include:

• a milky discharge from the penis
• pain when passing urine
• pain and swelling in the testicles

Chlamydia infection in the back passage (rectum) may cause a discharge or bleeding from your anus, and you may feel some discomfort but usually there are no symptoms.

Chlamydia infection in the throat is unlikely to give you any symptoms. If your eyes are infected, it can cause irritation and a discharge (conjunctivitis) from one or both of your eyes.

Complications of chlamydia

Not everyone who has chlamydia develops complications and the time it takes complications to develop will depend on the individual. However, it's possible that chlamydia can cause serious health and reproductive problems if it isn't treated.

In women, chlamydia infection can spread to the womb (uterus), ovaries and fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Between one and four women in 10 with untreated chlamydia will get PID. PID can damage the fallopian tubes and can increase the risk of being infertile. It can also increase the risk of having an ectopic pregnancy. This is when pregnancy occurs outside the womb, for example in one of the fallopian tubes.

In men, chlamydia infection can spread to the tube that carries urine from the bladder and out through the penis (urethra) or to the prostate gland. It can also cause the tube which carries sperm from the testes (the epididymis) to become blocked. This can affect fertility.

Chlamydia can cause inflammation in the joints, this is known as reactive arthritis or Reiter's syndrome. This complication is more common in men.

Causes of chlamydia

Chlamydia is caused by the C. trachomatis bacterium, which can infect the neck of the womb (cervix), the urethra, the back passage, the throat and, very rarely, the eyes.

C. trachomatis can be found in the semen of men and the vaginal fluids of women who have the infection. The infection can be passed on from one person to another during vaginal, anal or oral sex as well as by sharing sex toys with an infected person.

Chlamydia can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during a vaginal birth.

Diagnosis of chlamydia

If you think you may have chlamydia, you can see your GP, visit a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic, or a sexual health clinic to be tested. Chlamydia tests are also available at youth clubs and universities. There are some testing services to which you can send a sample from home.

You can have a test for chlamydia even if you don't have any symptoms.

You don't have to ask your doctor to refer you to a GUM or sexual health clinic, you can make your own appointment. All visits are confidential and you don't have to give your real name. Details won't be sent to your GP without your consent.

There are different ways to test for chlamydia.

• You may be asked to provide a sample of urine.
• A doctor or nurse may use a swab (similar to a small round cotton bud) to take a sample of cells from the vagina (for women) or from the tip of the penis (for men). If you're female, you may have the option to collect a sample of cells from your vagina yourself using a swab or a tampon.
• If you have had anal or oral sex, a doctor or nurse may use a swab to take a sample from your back passage or throat.

The samples will be sent to a laboratory for testing, or your doctor may look for the bacterium under a microscope and give you the result immediately.

If the tests show that you have chlamydia, it's important to contact your previous partners who may be at risk to prevent them from spreading the infection to others. Clinics can send anonymous letters on your behalf if you're willing to provide details.

Treatment of chlamydia

Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics. Your doctor will let you know how many days you need to take them for. It's important to take the full course of antibiotics, even if the symptoms of chlamydia clear up before you finish the course.

Once diagnosed with chlamydia, it's important to wait until the doctor gives you the 'all clear' before you have vaginal, anal or oral sex again. Wait until you and your partner have both finished treatment, or you could become re-infected.

Antibiotics can interfere with some forms of oral contraception so you may need to use an alternative contraceptive, such as condoms. Ask your nurse or doctor for advice.

Special considerations

If you're pregnant

If you have chlamydia when you're pregnant, it may lead to complications such as miscarriage or having your baby prematurely.

You can also pass chlamydia to your baby during birth. This can cause conjunctivitis or pneumonia in your baby. Both of these conditions can be treated.

If you have chlamydia when you're pregnant or are breastfeeding, you will be given a course of antibiotics to treat the infection. It's important to tell your doctor or nurse that you're pregnant or breastfeeding so that you're prescribed a suitable antibiotic that's safe for your baby.

Prevention of chlamydia

There are ways to lower your risk of getting or passing on chlamydia.

• Use condoms when having vaginal, oral or anal sex.
• Try not to share sex toys. If you do share them, wash them or cover them with a new condom before anyone else uses them.
• Limit the number of sexual partners you have and the frequency with which you change your sexual partners. Before having sex with a new partner, you should both consider having a test for chlamydia and other STIs.

Related topics

• Childbirth - vaginal delivery
• Conjunctivitis
• Contraception - non-hormonal
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Miscarriage
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Further information

fpa (The Family Planning Association)
0845 122 8600
www.fpa.org.uk

The National Chlamydia Screening Programme
0800 567 123
www.chlamydiascreening.nhs.uk

Sources

• STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections). Health Protection Agency (HPA). www.hpa.org.uk, accessed 11 November 2009
• Genital chlamydia. Health Protection Agency (HPA). www.hpa.org.uk, accessed 11 November 2009
• Diagnosis of chlamydia: Quick reference guide for general practices. Health Protection Agency (HPA). www.hpa.org.uk, accessed 11 November 2009
• Sexual health: Chlamydia rates continue to rise. National Statistics. www.statistics.gov.uk, accessed 11 November 2009
• Sexually transmitted infection (STI): Chlamydia. fpa (The Family Planning Association). www.fpa.org.uk, accessed 11 November 2009
• Where can I get information and advice? fpa (The Family Planning Association). www.fpa.org.uk, accessed 11 November 2009
• Management of genital chlamydia trachomatis infection: A national clinical guideline. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), 2009. www.sign.ac.uk, accessed 11 November 2009
• Chlamydia - uncomplicated genital. Clinical Knowledge Summaries. www.cks.nhs.uk, accessed 11 November 2009
• Urethritis - male. Clinical Knowledge Summaries. www.cks.nhs.uk, accessed 11 November 2009
• Chlamydia - CDC fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov, accessed 11 November 2009
• Chlamydia. The National Women's Health Information Center. www.womenshealth.gov, accessed 11 November 2009
• What is the chlamydia test?. National Chlamydia Screening Programme. www.chlamydiascreening.nhs.uk, accessed 11 November 2009

This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.

Publication date: January 2010