Chlamydia - Medtick
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Chlamydia

What is it?

Sexually transmitted disease caused by bacteria.

  • Symptoms usually appears 1-3 weeks after in contact with infection.

Diagnosis Tests

  • Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT)
  • Exposure to an STI until a reliable test can be undertaken is 2 weeks.
If one wants to do a test, it is ideal to do it two weeks (unless stated by health professional otherwise) after exposure and if positive, do a re-test in 5– 6 weeks time (unless stated by health professional otherwise) after first test after treatment.

Male

  • Self-sampled rectal and pharyngeal swabs are recommended in men who have sex with men​.

CEG Guidance on Tests for Sexually Transmitted Infections. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV. 2015.https://www.bashhguidelines.org
/media/1084/sti-testing-tables-2015-dec-update-4.pdf (accessed Feb 2023).

Persons in contact with:

When there is any doubt about the source of the infection, it is common to ask about all partners within the last:

  • 3 months for gonorrhoea
  • 6 months for chlamydia
  • 3 months to several years for syphilis depending on history and stage of infection
  • 3 months to several years for H.I.V depending on history and stage of infection

McClean H, Radcliffe K, Sullivan AK, et al. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH). BASHH Statement on Partner Notification for Sexually Transmissible Infections. 2012; London: BASHH.

Males

  • In symptomatic men, all sexual contacts within four weeks prior to onset of symptoms should be notified.

Cause

  • Bacteria: Chlamydia trachomatis, Lymphogranuloma Venereum
  • Unprotected vaginal, anal, oral sex with infected persons
  • Genital contact with infected persons
  • Sharing sex toys if not washed or covered with condom
  • Passed from infected mother to baby in womb

Symptoms

Symptoms can vary:

Female only:

  • Burning pain when passing urine/stool?
  • Vaginal blood loss?
  • Change in vaginal discharge and/or Yellow/green vaginal discharge?
  • Bleeding between and/or after sex or pain and bleeding during sexual intercourse?
  • Heavier period than usual?
  • Bleeding between periods?
  • Discomfort or pain during sexual intercourse that is deep in pelvis?
  • High temperature greater than 38°C (100°F) or over and/or chills and sweats longer than 72 hours?
  • Abdominal pain (can br pain on one side of the abdomen) and/or are constant violently vomiting or vomiting longer than two days (one day if a child)?
  • Pain in the back passage, have infection in discomfort or mucus discharge in rectum?
  • Shoulder and/or hip pain?
  • Diarrhoea?
  • Pain in eye and have a sticky discharge?

Male only:

  • Mild discomfort after 2-3 days of contact and then disappearance?
  • Pain when passing urine?
  • White, cloudy, water discharge from tip of penis?
  • Swollen, hot, red, inflamed and/or painful testicles?
  • Joint pain (reactive arthritis) – develop arthritis symptoms even though had infection elsewhere on body?
  • Mucus discharge or discomfort in rectum?
  • Pain in eye and have a sticky discharge?

Anal sex:

  • Rectal pain?
  • Rectal bleeding?
  • Rectal Discharge?
  • Urge to pass stool despite bowels being empty?
  • Feeling of incomplete emptying of the bowels?

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have or develop:

This condition can lead to:

Men only:

Women only:

Pregnancy

If planning to become pregnant or are pregnant it can cause:

  • Baby born prematurely
  • Stillbirth
  • Miscarriage

Babies

  • Gonorrhoea will usually present in the first 5 days of life but may take up to 3 week and can lead to a discharge that keeps on re-occurring and does even after wiping.
  • Chlamydia typically presents between the first 5–14 days of life​ and can lead to long term conjunctivitis.
  • Both can lead to an increase of corneal (eye) perforation, ulceration and scarring and need to be investigated.

Treatment tips

  • Do not have oral, vaginal or anal sex, or use sex toys, until seven days after you and your partner have both finished the treatment and any symptoms have gone. This is to help prevent you being re-infected or passing the infection on to someone else.

This condition can have similar symptoms to:

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Chlamydia in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

  • NHS

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  • Verywell Health

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