What is it?

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs).  It is caused by a kind of bacteria.

How is it spread?

Chlamydia is spread through unprotected vaginal or anal sex with an infected person.  It can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during birth.  A person remains infectious until he or she is properly treated.

What are the symptoms?

Approximately 70% of women and 50% of men infected with chlamydia have no symptoms.  Therefore, people can unknowingly pass the infection on to their sexual partner(s).

Women may have more discharge from the vagina, bleeding during or after sexual intercourse, and pain in the lower abdomen, or pain when passing urine.

Men may have discharge and itching around the opening of the penis.  They may also have burning when they pass urine, or pain and swelling in the testicles called epididymitis.

How is it diagnosed?

The doctor can test women for chlamydia by taking a swab from the opening to the womb or uterus.  In men, a urine test is used.  Men should not pass urine for two hours before the test.

What are the complications?

Untreated chlamydia in women may lead to a condition called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).  It is a serious infection of the lining of the womb or uterus, the fallopian tubes, and the ovaries.  Sometimes the fallopian tubes of a woman with PID are blocked by scar tissue which can cause infertility and increase the chance of potentially life threatening ectopic or tubal pregnancies.

Men with untreated chlamydia may become sterile when the tubes carrying the sperm are blocked by scar tissue.

Infants who are born to mothers with untreated chlamydia may become ill with pneumonia or eye infections.

How is it treated?

Chlamydia is treated with antibiotic pills.  If you have PID or epididymitis, you may need to go into a hospital and be treated with intravenous antibiotics.

What about sexual partners?

All sexual partners within the past three months should be examined and treated.  If you have not had sex in the past three months, your last sexual partner should be examined and tested.  Tell your partner(s) that having no symptoms does not mean there is no infection.  Your public health nurse can help you notify your partner(s).  Your name will be kept confidential.

Remember:

• Take all your medication as prescribed by your doctor or clinic.
• Avoid sex while you and your partner(s) are being treated.  You can get reinfected every time you have sex with an untreated or infected partner.
• Use condoms to lower the chance of getting STIs and to prevent pregnancy.
• It is possible to have more than one infection at a time, so it is important to be tested for other STIs.
• All testing and treatment is completely confidential.

If you have more questions, call the 
Sexual Health Clinic at 
748-2021
or the 
AIDS - Sexual Health Infoline at
1-800-668-2437