Frequently Asked Questions About Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It can infect both men and women and is spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the infection.

Chlamydia can infect the cervix, urethra, rectum, throat, and rarely the eyes. It's known as a "silent" infection because most people who have chlamydia don't experience symptoms, yet it can still cause serious health problems if left untreated.

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were approximately 1.8 million cases of chlamydia reported in the U.S. in 2019.

The actual number of infections is likely much higher since many cases go undiagnosed. Chlamydia is most common among young people, with the highest rates of infection seen in sexually active adolescents and young adults under the age of 25.

Chlamydia is transmitted through:

• Vaginal sex with an infected partner
• Anal sex with an infected partner
• Oral sex with an infected partner (less common)
• From mother to baby during childbirth if the mother is infected
• Sharing sex toys that aren't washed or covered with a new condom between uses

Chlamydia cannot be spread through casual contact such as hugging, sharing food or drinks, kissing, swimming in pools, sitting on toilet seats, or sharing towels.

Many people with chlamydia don't experience symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they may include:

In women:

• Abnormal vaginal discharge
• Burning sensation during urination
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Bleeding between periods or after sex
• Lower abdominal pain
• Rectal pain, discharge, or bleeding (if infection is in the rectum)
• Sore throat (if infection is in the throat)

In men:

• Discharge from the penis
• Burning or painful sensation during urination
• Pain and swelling in one or both testicles (less common)
• Rectal pain, discharge, or bleeding (if infection is in the rectum)
• Sore throat (if infection is in the throat)

Symptoms typically appear 1-3 weeks after exposure, but many people have no symptoms at all.

Chlamydia is diagnosed through laboratory tests that can be performed on:

• Urine samples - This is the most common method
• Swab samples taken from the potentially infected site:
  • For women: from the cervix or vagina
  • For men: from the urethra (opening of the penis)
  • For both: from the throat or rectum, if those sites might be infected

These tests detect the genetic material (DNA) of the chlamydia bacteria. Results are typically available within a few days to a week, depending on the testing location.

Home testing kits for chlamydia are also available in many areas, allowing people to collect their own samples and mail them to a laboratory for testing.

The CDC recommends the following groups be tested for chlamydia:

• All sexually active women under age 25 should get tested annually
• Women 25 and older with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner with an STI, should get tested annually
• Pregnant women should be tested during their first prenatal visit
• Men who have sex with men (MSM) should be tested at least annually, and every 3-6 months if at high risk
• Anyone who has symptoms of chlamydia should get tested
• Anyone whose partner has been diagnosed with chlamydia should get tested

Additionally, you should consider getting tested:

• Before starting a new sexual relationship
• After unprotected sex with a new partner
• If a condom breaks during sex

Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics. The most commonly prescribed treatments are:

• Azithromycin - typically given as a single dose
• Doxycycline - typically taken twice daily for 7 days

Alternative antibiotics may be prescribed in certain situations, such as during pregnancy or if you have allergies to the first-line medications.

To ensure the infection is fully cleared:

• Take all medication exactly as prescribed, even if symptoms disappear
• Abstain from sexual activity until treatment is complete (7 days after a single dose or until completing a 7-day course)
• Ensure all sexual partners from the past 60 days are notified, tested, and treated

Yes, chlamydia can be completely cured with appropriate antibiotic treatment. When taken correctly, antibiotics are highly effective at eliminating the infection.

However, it's important to note that:

• You can get chlamydia again if you're exposed to the bacteria again, even if you've been successfully treated in the past
• Many people get reinfected by untreated partners
• Having chlamydia once doesn't make you immune to future infections

This is why partner treatment and follow-up testing are so important.

If left untreated, chlamydia can cause serious health problems:

In women:

• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries
• Infertility - difficulty getting pregnant or inability to become pregnant
• Chronic pelvic pain
• Ectopic pregnancy - pregnancy outside the uterus, which can be life-threatening
• Increased risk of HIV infection if exposed

In men:

• Epididymitis - infection of the tube that carries sperm, which can cause pain and, rarely, infertility
• Reactive arthritis - painful joints, inflammation of the eyes, and urethritis
• Increased risk of HIV infection if exposed

In pregnant women:

• Premature birth
• Low birth weight
• Transmission to the baby during delivery, which can cause eye infections or pneumonia

Yes, if you are diagnosed with chlamydia, all of your sexual partners from the past 60 days should be notified, tested, and treated, even if they don't have symptoms. This is because:

• Partners may be infected without knowing it
• Untreated partners can reinfect you after your treatment
• Treating partners helps prevent further spread of the infection

Many healthcare providers offer expedited partner therapy (EPT), where they provide extra medication or a prescription for your partner(s) without examining them first. This can be helpful if your partner is unable or unwilling to seek medical care.

If you're uncomfortable notifying partners yourself, many health departments offer anonymous partner notification services.

You can reduce your risk of getting chlamydia by:

• Using condoms correctly every time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex
• Using dental dams for oral sex on the vagina or anus
• Not sharing sex toys, or washing them and covering with a new condom between users
• Getting tested regularly if you're sexually active, especially if you have new or multiple partners
• Limiting your number of sex partners
• Being in a mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has tested negative for STIs
• Abstaining from sexual contact

Remember that many people with chlamydia don't know they have it because they don't have symptoms, so regular testing is an important part of prevention.

Yes, when used correctly and consistently, latex condoms provide highly effective protection against chlamydia and many other sexually transmitted infections.

To maximize protection:

• Use a new condom for every act of sexual intercourse
• Put the condom on before any genital contact
• Make sure there is no air at the tip of the condom
• Make sure there is adequate lubrication
• Hold the condom at the base when withdrawing

Remember that condoms don't protect areas they don't cover, so some skin-to-skin transmission is still possible, though less likely than with unprotected sex.

Yes, you can definitely get chlamydia again after being successfully treated. Treatment cures the current infection, but it doesn't make you immune to future infections.

Reinfection is common and can occur in several ways:

• Having sexual contact with a partner who wasn't treated
• Having sexual contact with a new infected partner
• Your partner getting infected from someone else and then transmitting it to you

This is why it's so important to:

• Ensure all partners get treated
• Abstain from sexual activity until you and your partners complete treatment
• Use condoms consistently with new or untested partners
• Get retested 3 months after treatment to check for reinfection

If you're pregnant and have chlamydia, it's important to get treated promptly. Untreated chlamydia during pregnancy can lead to premature birth, low birth weight, and transmission to the baby during delivery.

Chlamydia can be safely treated during pregnancy with antibiotics that won't harm the baby. The most commonly used antibiotic for pregnant women is azithromycin.

All pregnant women should be tested for chlamydia at their first prenatal visit, and those at higher risk should be tested again in the third trimester.

After treatment, a test of cure is recommended 3-4 weeks after completing treatment to ensure the infection is gone.

Yes, there is a connection between chlamydia and HIV. Having chlamydia or other STIs can increase the risk of both acquiring and transmitting HIV in several ways:

• Chlamydia can cause inflammation and small breaks in the genital tissue, creating entry points for HIV
• The immune cells that respond to chlamydia infection are the same cells that HIV targets
• If you have HIV, having chlamydia can increase the amount of HIV in your genital fluids, making transmission more likely

This relationship between STIs and HIV is one reason why regular STI testing and prompt treatment are so important for sexual health.

Yes, chlamydia can infect the throat (pharyngeal chlamydia) and the rectum (rectal chlamydia).

Throat infections:

• Can be acquired through oral sex with an infected partner
• Often have no symptoms
• When symptoms occur, they may include sore throat or discomfort when swallowing

Rectal infections:

• Can be acquired through receptive anal sex or potentially by spreading from the vagina in women
• May cause no symptoms, or symptoms such as rectal pain, discharge, or bleeding
• Are more common in men who have sex with men and women who have receptive anal sex

It's important to tell your healthcare provider about all types of sex you engage in so they can test the appropriate sites. Standard urine tests won't detect throat or rectal infections - specific swabs from these sites are needed.