Chlamydia

The most common route of transmission is unprotected vaginal and anal sex. When transmitted through oral sex, chlamydia can also colonise the throat, but it does not cause an illness there and usually disappears after a few weeks. Chlamydia also sometimes finds its way through the hands or sex toys. Chlamydia can be transmitted to the newborn during birth.

Chlamydia often does not cause any symptoms. If symptoms occur, infections of the urethra or genital organs lead to discharge from the urethra, vagina and/or itching, burning and pain when urinating after one to three weeks. An untreated infection with chlamydia can rise in the body: The infection can travel to the uterus, fallopian tubes and abdominal cavity and cause inflammation there. Signs of this are fever, heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding between periods. In some cases, an untreated chlamydia infection leads to infertility, abdominal cavity or tubal pregnancies. Fever and pain in the testicles or lower abdomen can be signs of the bacteria rising. This can lead to inflammation of the vas deferens, prostate and epididymis with the possible consequence of infertility. Chlamydia infections of the rectum also run asymptomatic or with few symptoms in most cases. However, the infections can also lead to mucopurulent discharge, pain, itching, diarrhoea-like symptoms or an inflammatory rash.

Condoms and femidoms cannot prevent an infection with chlamydia, but they can reduce the risk considerably. For people with frequently changing sex partners, regular tests for chlamydia can be useful in order to detect an infection early and not pass it on. Whether a test is advisable can also be clarified in individual cases with a doctor or at a counselling centre. Chlamydia is easily treatable and curable with antibiotics. The earlier the treatment starts, the easier and shorter it usually is. Because of the high risk of infection, you should refrain from having sex until the treatment is finished. Sex partners should be examined and, if necessary, treated as well, so that they do not infect others or each other again and again.

According to the maternity guidelines, an examination for chlamydia is part of prenatal care, as the bacteria can lead to premature birth and infection of the newborn, for example. There are antibiotics against chlamydia that can also be used during pregnancy.