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Chlamydia

What is it?
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection, which is highly infectious and affects both male and female genitals. It can also affect the throat and rectum. If left untreated, it can cause serious health problems, and it's on the increase:

• In 2000 over 39,000 16-24 year olds were diagnosed with the infection.
• In 2001, genital chlamydia was the most commonly diagnosed STI in the UK, with over 71,000 cases.

What causes it?
Chlamydia is most often transmitted through sex (vaginal, oral or anal). However, it can also be passed from infected mother to baby during birth, transferred on the fingers from the genitals to the eyes, and passed on by sharing sex toys.

Who is at risk?
Chlamydia is most common in women:

• As many as 10% of sexually active females aged under 25 could have chlamydia and not realise it.
• For women under 20, the risk is higher. In 2001, 36% of females with genital chlamydia were under 20.
• For women over 25, the risk is increased if you've recently changed partners or have had more than two partners in the last year.
• Men are most at risk between the ages of 20 and 30. Diagnoses in men rose by 9% between 2000 and 2001.

How to avoid it
The more promiscuous you are, the greater the risk of getting chlamydia. However, it only takes one session of unprotected sex with someone who's infected to catch it. Using a condom properly is the best protection you have.

What are the symptoms?
In 50-70% of cases, genital chlamydia doesn't display any symptoms. When they do appear, symptoms can take a few days or several months to materialise.
Women should look out for:

• Unusual vaginal discharge
• Painful, burning urination
• Pain in the lower abdomen
• Painful sex
• Irregular periods or bleeding after sex

Men should look out for:

• Unusual discharge from the penis
• Irritation at the tip of the penis, which lasts a few days
• Painful urination

Diagnosis
If you think you might be infected, see your GP or make an appointment with your local sexual health or genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic immediately. Tests are painless and straightforward.

• Most clinics will ask you to give a urine sample.
• You may also have to give a swab sample from the infected area.
• Once taken, samples are sent to a laboratory. Results should be back within seven days.

Treatment
If it's caught early, Chlamydia is easy to treat. Usually you'll be prescribed antibiotics - either a single dose or a two-week course. While taking the antibiotics and until you've been given the all clear, do not have unprotected sex. Your partner should also be treated, to avoid re-infection.

Complications
If left untreated, chlamydia can have serious health repercussions:

• In women it can spread across the reproductive system, resulting in pelvic inflammatory disease. This can lead to pelvic pain, damage to the fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancy (where the baby starts growing in the fallopian tubes and not the womb), infertility and early miscarriage.
• In men it can cause inflamed testicles, reduced fertility and painful joints.

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