This fact sheet gives basic, non-technical information on chlamydia. The information in the fact sheets may be especially useful for those teaching about sexual health or preparing projects on sexually transmitted infections. Click on a question below to scroll straight to that topic:

• What is chlamydia?
• Who gets chlamydia?
• How do you catch chlamydia?
• How do you know you have chlamydia?
• How serious is chlamydia?
• What is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)?
• What are the complications of PID?
• How can you protect yourself against chlamydia?
• How is chlamydia diagnosed?
• How is chlamydia treated?
• What is the National Chlamydia Screening Programme?

 

What is chlamydia?

 

Who gets chlamydia?

 

How do you catch chlamydia?

• Genital chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection. It is caught through unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex or genital contact with an infected partner.
• An infected person will frequently have no symptoms of chlamydia, however he or she can still infect a partner without knowing.
• Genital chlamydia cannot be caught by casual contact (toilet seats, swimming pools, saunas).
• Pregnant women can pass infection to infants during birth.

 

How do you know that you have chlamydia?

• At least 50% of infected men and 70% of women do not have any symptoms and consequently a large proportion of cases remain undiagnosed.
• A person may carry the infection, have no symptoms and be able to pass it on to any sexual partner during that time.
• Of those with symptoms of genital chlamydia, women may experience some unusual vaginal discharge, bleeding between periods, pain when passing urine and lower abdominal pain. Men may experience discharge from the penis, burning and itching in the genital area, and pain when passing urine. Symptoms may persist but in some cases, they may only last for a few days then disappear.
• If symptoms do occur, they start 1-3 weeks after becoming infected.

 

How serious is chlamydia?

• If left untreated, chlamydial infections can progress to serious reproductive and other health problems.
• In women, untreated infection can cause chronic pelvic pain and lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ectopic pregnancy and infertility.
• An infected pregnant woman, who does not receive antibiotic treatment prior to delivery, can also pass the bacteria on to her baby causing it to be born with conjunctivitis (inflammation of the lining of the eye) or pneumonia. However, both are treatable
• In men, complications are rarer but can include epididymitis (pain and swelling around the testicles) and Reiter's Syndrome (arthritis).

 

What is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)?

• Pelvic inflammatory disease affects the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes and is caused by micro-organisms migrating from the lower to upper genital tract.
• Chlamydia is a common cause of PID and the risk of PID increases with the number of chlamydia episodes.

 

What are the complications of PID?

• Up to 1 in 5 women who develop PID will consequently become infertile and the risk of ectopic pregnancy greatly increases. Furthermore, the risk of infertility will increase if a women has more than one episode of PID.
• The consequences of PID are not easily treatable and can have lifelong implications for the individuals concerned.

 

How can you protect yourself against chlamydia?

• Sexually active men and women can reduce their risk of chlamydia by reducing their numbers of partners, reducing frequency of partner change, and by using condoms correctly and consistently during sexual intercourse.

 

How is chlamydia diagnosed?

• Recently, new laboratory tests have been introduced to diagnose genital chlamydial infections using non-invasive samples, such as urine or self-taken vulva-vaginal samples.
• Most testing for sexual infections is done in STI clinics (also called genitourinary medicine or GUM clinics) which have specialist facilities for testing and systems for contacting, testing and treating sexual partners. Details of these clinics can be found in the telephone book, from your local hospital or from the STI clinic directory on the web site of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV ( www.bashh.org). Clinics are confidential and will not inform GPs of any results, unless specifically requested to do so. You can attend one of these clinics at any age (even if you are under the age of consent to sex which is 16).
• The phased introduction of England's National Chlamydia Screening Programme means that young people (under 25) are increasingly able to access screening for Chlamydia in a wide choice of settings including general practice, contraception clinics, young peoples sexual health clinics.
• Some people now choose to be tested for chlamydia and some other infections when starting a new sexual relationship.
• A person with confirmed chlamydia should also be offered screening for other sexually transmitted infections, which may be present without symptoms.

 

How is chlamydia treated?

• Once diagnosed, uncomplicated chlamydial infection is easy to treat and cure.
• There are a number of antibiotics which are used to treat chlamydial infection. Azithromycin (single dose) or doxycycline (twice daily for 7 days) are currently the most commonly prescribed treatments.
• Recent sexual partners (within the last six months) of an infected person should be tested and treated to prevent re-infection and further spread of disease. Partners need to be tested whether or not they show symptoms of infection and may be offered treatment whether or not a positive diagnosis is made.

 

What is the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP)?

The NCSP in England aims to detect chlamydial infection among young sexually active women and men and reduce the burden of disease (PID, ectopic pregnancy and infertility) caused by chlamydia.

More information can be found at: http://www.DH-NCSP.gov.uk