Chlamydia
Chlamydia is the most commonly diagnosed bacterial STI and often has no symptoms at all.
How would I get it?
- Spread through unprotected oral, vaginal or anal sex with an infected partner, mutual masturbation and sharing of sex toys
- Can cause infections in the penis and vagina, and occasionally throat and rectum
- Can be passed from an infected mother to infant during birth
What kind of symptoms could I have if I am infected?
You may have NO SYMPTOMS at all if you are infected. Other times you may have some or all of the symptoms listed below.
All sexes:
- Pain or burning when peeing
- Pain, itching, bleeding, mucus discharge of the rectum (rectal infection)
- Sore throat, cough, swollen lymph nodes, and/or fever (throat infection)
Vaginal symptoms:
- Vaginal bleeding after sex or between periods
- Vaginal discharge
- Pelvic or lower back pain
- Pain during sex
Penile symptoms:
- Itchy urethra
- Clear, watery or milky discharge from the penis
- Testicular pain or swelling
How do I prevent this?
- Condoms and dental dams
How do I get tested?
- Urine and/or swabs of exposed sites; expect results to come back in 1-2 weeks
What if I test positive?
- This infection is treated with antibiotics and curable
- If left untreated, chlamydia can cause serious health problems
- Chlamydia is a reportable infection – meaning someone from Public Health may contact you for further information
- Any partners from the last 60 days need to be notified; if you have not had a partner in the last 60, then the most recent partner needs to be notified. Should you prefer to remain anonymous, Public Health can assist by notifying any or all partners.
Treatment
Treatment for chlamydia is carried out exclusively with antibiotics that effectively eliminate the infection. The treatment regimen is selected based on the patient’s specific characteristics, including age, presence of other infections, and overall drug tolerance.
Antibiotics Used for chlamydia treatment
The most commonly used antibiotics include:
- Azithromycin: A single large dose (usually 1 g). It is easy to take and convenient, especially for patients who find it difficult to adhere to prolonged treatment regimens.
- Doxycycline: Taken twice a day for 7 days. It is an alternative for those who may have contraindications to Azithromycin.
Additional antibiotic options:
These drugs are used if there is an allergy to the main antibiotics or if the infection is resistant to standard treatment methods.
Throughout the treatment course and until full recovery is confirmed (retesting), it is recommended to avoid sexual contact to prevent reinfection or transmission to a partner.
After completing the treatment course, follow-up testing is recommended in 3–4 weeks to confirm recovery, especially if symptoms persist or there are suspicions of reinfection.
It is also crucial to treat all sexual partners who have been in contact within the last 60 days to prevent reinfection. This makes relapse prevention more effective and reduces the risk of further spread of the infection.
