Chlamydia Infection
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted
infection (STI) in Australia, particularly among young people aged between 15
and 25 years. It is caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria and can
be serious for both men and women.
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Sexually
transmitted infection (STI) – any infection or disease that can be passed from
one person to another during sexual activity.
Chlamydia
is passed on by unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex with an infected person.
Pregnant women can pass chlamydia on to their babies, causing serious eye and
lung infections. If you have chlamydia, it’s also easier to both catch and pass
on HIV.
The
trouble is, most people don’t realise they have chlamydia because they don’t
see or feel anything wrong. Without knowing it, they can pass it on to their
partners.
Who is most at risk?
- You are most at risk of chlamydia if:
- you’re under 25
- you’ve changed sex partners in the last 12 months
- you’ve had more than one sex partner in the last 12 months
- you don’t use condoms or dental dams
- you or your sex partner has another STI.
Signs and Symptoms
Most girls and women who have chlamydia don’t
notice any signs at all. Others have symptoms including:
- burning or pain when urinating
- unusual discharge from the vagina
- pain in the lower belly
- pain during sex
- unusual bleeding, or spotting between periods.
- Most boys and men who have chlamydia don’t notice any signs at all. Others have symptoms including:
- whitish or yellow discharge from the penis
- burning or pain when urinating
- irritation or soreness around the urethra (the opening of the penis).
How to know you have it
If
you have any of these symptoms – or if you are having sex with several people
and don’t know if they have an infection – visit a doctor as soon as possible
and ask for an STI check-up. It’s simple.
Your
doctor will test a sample of urine. Women also need a swab taken from the
vagina (which you can do yourself if you prefer). It’s a good idea to have
tests for other STIs at the same time.
Treatment
If
you have chlamydia you will be given antibiotics. You need to take them all.
Your sex partners also need to get tested and treated.
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Don’t
have unsafe sex while you or your partner are taking the treatment – you could
infect each other again.
Do
not drink alcohol during treatment. The alcohol stops the medicine from working
properly, and you might also forget about having safe sex.
If
left untreated
Without
early treatment, women and girls can get infections in their cervix, uterus
(womb) and fallopian tubes. This is called pelvic inflammatory disease and it
can cause infertility. This can scar or even block the Fallopian tubes (which
carry eggs to the womb). It can also prevent a fertilised egg from getting into
the uterus, causing an ectopic pregnancy (when the egg grows in the fallopian
tube) which requires emergency surgery and can result in death.
Without
early treatment, men can develop prostatitis (infection and swelling of the
prostate gland), epididymitis (swelling in the testicles) and infertility (so
you can’t have a baby).
Prevention
You can reduce the risks of getting chlamydia, and
other STIs, by following this advice:
Always use condoms or dams and water-based
lubricant. Condoms are the best way to protect you both from chlamydia and
other STIs. Always use condoms during vaginal and anal sex, and dams during
oral sex, until you’re totally sure that both you and your partner don’t have
an STI.
Have a long-term relationship where neither of you
is already infected, and neither of you has other partners.
Limit your sex partners. The fewer people you have
sex with, the less chance you have of having sex with someone who has
chlamydia.
Have regular STI checks.
Talking about STIs can be difficult, but any person
you have sex with has a right to know if you have an infection. Discuss it when
you’re feeling relaxed and confident, not just before you have sex. Your
partner will appreciate your honesty and that you don’t want to infect him/her.
You have the right to know if they’re infected, too.
Remember
Chlamydia
is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in Australia.
You
can reduce the risks of getting chlamydia by practising safe sex, and limiting
your sex partners.
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