If you are sexually active, you should concern about the health of your genital organ. When you feel it has been out of usual, you better check the symptoms and ask the doctor. One popular sexually transmitted disease (STD) is chlamydia.

Chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world. Among adults, about 5% of the population is estimated to be infected. Among sexually active adolescent females, about 10% are infected. It is known as the ’silent disease’, because many people do not know that they have chlamydia, because although they are infected, they may not have any symptoms. About 75% of infected women and half of infected men have no symptoms of chlamydia. When left untreated, it can lead to painful health problems and sterility. Chlamydia is transmitted through vaginal, anal and oral sex and can be transmitted from mother to child during childbirth.

In women, symptoms of chlamydia may include:

1. An unusual vaginal discharge
2. Pain also bleeding during or after intercourse
3. A burning sensation when urinating
4. Bleeding between menstrual periods
5. Abdominal or pelvic pain

In men, symptoms of chlamydia may include:

1. Discharge from the penis
2. Burning sensation when urinating
3. Swollen and/or painful testicles
4. Burning or itching at the opening of the penis

If symptoms do occur, they usually appear two to six weeks after infection, but it can take longer for symptoms to appear. Even without symptoms, however, chlamydia can be transmitted and can lead to serious health problems and sterility, especially in women. Anyone at risk should therefore be tested. Tests are done with either a urine sample or a sample obtained from a woman’s cervix or a man’s urethra, using a cotton swab.

When left untreated, chlamydia can increase the risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. In women, untreated chlamydia can spread into the pelvic area and infect the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries, leading to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID effects include abdominal pain, fever, internal abcesses and long-lasting pelvic pain; effects also include scarring of the fallopian tubes, which can cause infertility and increase the chance of potentially life-threatening ectopic or tubal pregnancies.

Chlamydia can cause early labor and delivery and can be passed from mother to baby during birth. Chlamydia infection in newborns can cause neonatal conjunctivitis (an infection of the baby’s eyes) and pneumonia. Without prompt medical treatment, the infant’s eyes can be seriously and permanently damaged.

For men, chlamydia can develop scarring of the urethra, making urination difficult and occasionally causing infertility. Although rare, both sexes are at risk of a type of arthritis known as Reiter’s Syndrome - an inflammation and swelling caused by the spread of the infection through the bloodstream into the joints.

To treat the infection, there is an effective single-dose antibiotic treatment available. It is important to make sure your sex partner(s) also receive treatment, in order to prevent getting infected again. Avoid having sex while being treated, to reduce the chances of getting the infection again or transmitting it to someone else.

Once again, consult your health problem to doctor and always use condom for any sexual activity to avoid such dangerous STD. Yet, be more loyal to your partner.

the image credit by Rodolfo Clix