In lasses, it can infect all your reproductive bits. It can also give you bladder infections, serious pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and ectopic pregnancy. It can be passed on during childbirth causing pneumonia, eye infections and even blindness in newborns.

In lads, chlamydia infects your urethra (pee pipe) and may spread to your balls. For you younger lads out there, chlamydia can also lead to Reiter's Disease, giving you infections and arthritis and, to make you feel better, one in three lads who get Reiter's Disease become permanently disabled!

What are the signs?

The signs that you've got it are a discharge from your penis or vagina, pain and burning when peeing, inflammation of the rectum or cervix, bellyache, sickness and having a fever. Girls, you could also have heavy bleeding, spotting between periods or after sex and having sex can be painful. Lads - your balls could swell and be painful.

Symptoms will appear in 7 to 21 days - that is if at all! It's really hard to believe but 70% of women and 50% of men with chlamydia don't even know they've got it! They have absolutely no symptoms!

Many women only find out they've got chlamydia when their partner is found to be infected. The worst case scenario - which does happen - is when a woman finds out she's got chlamydia when she's being treated for infertility!

How could I get it?

Chlamydia is spread by having any type of sex. Not common, but it can be spread from hand to eye. It's important to know that other STIs can hide the signs of chlamydia. If you are sexually active, your partner is sexually active or if you don't wear a condom you are more likely to catch it. If you've had STIs, before this can also put you at risk.

What about protection?

To protect yourself, wear a condom every time. Don't have sex until you've finished your treatment. Make sure you tell the people you sleep with about your infection and that they get checked and treated.