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Chlamydiosis is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. More than 80% of women do not know that they are infected with chlamydia, and they only find out about it when there are complications. This is because the disease is usually asymptomatic, and it is enough to undergo a simple test once a year …
Chlamydiosis is a type of infection caused by a bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis (zinfection with chlamydia (chlamydiosis) is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases). The germ is transmitted through sexual contact (both vaginal and anal) – therefore any sexually active person can become infected.
Chlamydia infection is most common in adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 24 who have intercourse with multiple partners and do not use condoms during sexual intercourse. Infection can also occur in young children, where the germ enters the body during childbirth, passing through the genital tract of infected mothers. Since chlamydiosis is usually asymptomatic, most infected people are unaware of the disease.
Most often, patients find out about the infection only when complications occur – inflammation of the appendages (ovaries) in women or epididymitis in men. It is also worth mentioning that chlamydiosis can unfortunately lead to infertility.
- Find out about the most common venereal diseases
The causes of chlamydia
As mentioned above, chlamydiosis is caused by infection with a bacterium Chlamydiatrachomatis. Usually, the disease is transmitted through sexual intercourse and oral or anal sex. In addition, infection can occur during childbirth and the infected mother transmits the disease to the baby. This situation is very dangerous for the newborn as it can cause eye infections and pneumonia.
The factors that increase the risk of chalmydiosis include:
- sexual intercourse without the use of a condom,
- age (up to 25),
- oral sex,
- anal sex,
- a large number of sexual partners,
- past venereal diseases.
Chlamydiosis – symptoms
Most people with chlamydia (about 75% of women and 50% of men) do not develop any symptoms. In men, discharge from the urethra may in some cases ooze and may occur during urination burning and itching sensation – These are symptoms of urethritis, which may be the first manifestation of chlamydia. Sometimes men may also develop testicular pain, inflammation of the rectum (during anal intercourse), swelling of the testicles or joint pain.
In women, the symptoms of chlamydiosis infection are not very specific – there are unusual vaginal discharge and pain when urinating. Therefore, those women who are sexually active and / or do not have a permanent partner should undergo a test for chlamydia in the body every year. Additionally, symptoms may occur in the form of:
- baking during micturition,
- pain during sexual intercourse
- bleeding after intercourse
- pain in the lower abdomen,
- problems with the conjunctiva and joints (when the infection spreads),
- vaginal bleeding.
Detecting an infection early is especially important if a woman is planning to conceive or is already pregnant. The presence of chlamydia increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy and premature birth. Get tested for chlamydia – buy Viola quick chlamydia test for home use.
If you develop symptoms of chlamydiosis, go to the gynecologist immediately, who will refer you for appropriate tests. If you have already done your research, you can discuss it with your doctor during an online visit, after which you will get an e-Prescription. Make an e-consultation and send the test results to the gynecologist by e-mail.
Chlamydiosis – diagnosis
The tests performed during the diagnosis of chlamydiosis include urine examination and microscopic examination of a woman’s vaginal smear. Some women also have a cervical smear which is then antigen-tested for the bacteria that cause chlamydiosis. In turn, in men, the diagnosis of the disease is based on collecting material for examination – from the urethra (sometimes from the anus).
Urine testing is performed on both men and women. Thanks to the obtained urine sample, it is possible to exclude or confirm chalmydiosis.
To find out if you have been infected with chlamydia, do the Male Genetic Test for Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Chlamydia infection is treated with antibiotics (e.g. azithromycin or erythromycin) and treatment usually lasts 7 days (abstain until intercourse for two weeks after starting treatment).
Usually the infection clears up within a week or two.
Preparations should be taken once or several times a day, but there are some cases that indicate the use of the drug in a single dose.
Ex-and current sexual partners should also be informed about chlamydiosis, as they should also be tested for chlamydia. If your current partner is left untreated, intercourse with them could lead to reinfection.
Remember!
- A person who carries chlamydia can infect other people from the time of infection until full recovery.
- Having chlamydiosis does not give you immunity – once you are healed, you may fall ill again if you do not take the proper precautions.
The following factors are important in prophylaxis:
- limiting the number of sexual partners,
- using condoms during sexual intercourse,
- refraining from intercourse when an infection is suspected and reporting the problem to a gynecologist or dermatologist,
- avoidance of contingent sexual relations,
- conducting regular screening tests (especially when many sexual partners have intercourse),
- avoiding vaginal irrigation, which reduces the amount of bacteria and therefore increases the risk of developing chlamydiosis.
Diagnostic tests for venereal diseases: syphilis, herpes, chlamydia and HIV are also very important.
Untreated chlamydiosis can lead to many complications, some of them very serious.
1. Having chlamydiosis increases the risk of developing other venereal ailments, such as gonorrhea or HIV.
2. Chlamydiosis can lead to infections in the area of the fallopian tubes or uterus. Then the patients experience high temperature and pain. Such a complication may require hospitalization and the administration of an antibiotic (intravenously). Inflammation in the uterus and fallopian tubes can lead to dysfunction.
3. In men, chlamydiosis can lead to epididymitis, which is characterized by perineal swelling, pain and high temperature. In addition, the bacteria that cause chlamydiosis can also give rise to prostatitis.
4. Chlamydia infection can pass to the baby during delivery, causing it, for example, to become pneumonia.
5. Even if the disease is asymptomatic, it can silently cause scarring and obstruction of the fallopian tubes, thus causing infertility.
6. There is a risk of arthritis in patients with chlamydia.
Due to serious complications, it is worth diagnosing chlamydiosis. A mail order survey for both women and men is available on Medonet Market at an attractive price.
Text: lek. med. Matylda Mazur
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