Chlamydia
Find out more about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease that can be treated through antibiotics. The disease is spread through oral, vaginal, or anal sexual contact with an infected partner. It causes penile discharge in men and may result in infertility and serious birth defects for women. One of the widespread bacterial STIs in the United States, Chlamydia infects 2.8 million people each year.
Symptoms
Chlamydia bacteria is transmitted through vaginal fluid and semen. As much as seventy percent of chlamydial infections have no symptoms, giving it the name of the dsilent disease. For those who do experience symptoms, they usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after infection. Symptoms may include abnormal discharge (mucus or pus) from the vagina or penis or experience pain while urinating. These early symptoms may be very mild and are often confused with other less serious diseases. However, the bacterial infection may spread inside your body if it is not treated. In women, bacteria can infect the cervix and urinary tract in women. If the bacteria move into the fallopian tubes, they can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, causing infertility. In men, bacteria can infect the urinary tract and the epididymis, causing epididymitis (inflammation of the reproductive area near the testicles). C. trachomatis also can cause inflammation of your rectum and lining of your eye (conjunctivitis or "pink eye"). The bacteria also can infect your throat if you have oral sexual contact with an infected partner.
DIAGNOSIS
It is important to note that Chlamydia is easily confused with gonorrhea because the symptoms of both diseases are similar and the diseases can occur at the same time. Laboratory tests are the most reliable ways to find out whether the infection is chlamydia. A health care provider may collect a sample of fluid from the vagina or penis to see if it contains traces of bacteria. Another test looks for the bacteria in a urine sample and does not require a pelvic exam or swabbing of the penis. Results are usually available within 24 hours.
TREATMENT
If you are infected with C. trachomatis , your health care provider will probably give you a prescription for an antibiotic such as azithromycin (taken for one day) or doxycycline (taken for 7 days). Or, you might get a prescription for another antibiotic such as erythromycin or ofloxacin. Healthcare providers may treat pregnant women with azithromycin, erythromycin, or sometimes with amoxicillin. Penicillin, which health care providers often use to treat some other STIs, won't cure chlamydia.
PREVENTION
The best way to avoid getting an STD is to use male latex condoms correctly every time you have sexual intercourse. Generally, all sexually active women 25 years of age and younger should get chlamydia screening tests annually. An annual screening test for older women is standard.
If you develop genital symptoms like burning while urinating or have a discharge, you should stop having sexual intercourse and see your health care provider immediately.