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Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK. Predominantly, it is diagnosed in young people, but it also affects older people, with a growing number of people over 40 testing positive. In 2023, there were about 194,970 Chlamydia diagnoses (all ages).
Fortunately, Chlamydia is treatable and curable with antibiotic tablets, including azithromycin or doxycycline.
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It can infect and affect both men and women and can cause serious, permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive system, making it difficult or impossible for her to get pregnant later on.
Chlamydia can be diagnosed through laboratory tests such as urine samples or swabs from the genital area.
Regular screening is recommended, especially for sexually active women under 25 and older women with risk factors like new or multiple sex partners.
Chlamydia is primarily transmitted through unprotected sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex. It can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth.
One of the challenges in controlling the spread of Chlamydia is that it often presents no symptoms, leading many individuals to be unaware of their infection and inadvertently transmit it to sexual partners.
Most people who have Chlamydia will not notice any symptoms. According to research, 50% of men and 70 – 80% of women will be asymptomatic when infected by Chlamydia. In some cases, you may show symptoms only briefly, but even if the symptoms disappear you may still have the infection and still be able to pass it on to others.
When symptoms do occur, they can include abnormal genital discharge, burning sensation during urination, pain during sexual intercourse, and in women, bleeding between periods or after sex. If left untreated, Chlamydia can lead to serious health complications, particularly for women, such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. In men, untreated Chlamydia can lead to epididymitis, an inflammation of the ducts attached to the testicles, which can cause infertility.
Chlamydia can be diagnosed through laboratory tests such as urine samples or swabs from the genital area. We test for Chlamydia with Gonorrhoea by urine PCR or by swab. If you have no symptoms and are testing for peace of mind, there is no consultation fee payable.
However, if you have any symptoms, please note that a consultation fee is payable of £85 with a specialist nurse or £175 with a GP. Remember, regular screening is crucial for prevention and early detection.
If you test positive for Chlamydia, take the full course of antibiotics as prescribed, even if symptoms disappear. Notify all recent sexual partners (anyone from the last three months) so they can get tested and treated.
Partners should be treated even if they have no symptoms to prevent reinfection and spread. Avoid all sexual activity until both you and your partner have completed treatment and are symptom-free for at least seven days after finishing antibiotics.
Get re-tested after three months to ensure the infection is cleared, especially if you are unsure whether your partner was treated or if you had unprotected sex.
Chlamydia remains a significant global health issue, with substantial numbers of new infections reported annually. In 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that there were 129 million new Chlamydia infections worldwide. This figure highlights the pervasive nature of this sexually transmitted infection (STI) across different regions and demographics.
In 2022, more than 1 million curable sexually transmitted infections, including Chlamydia, were acquired every day globally. This underscores the importance of getting tested for Chlamydia regularly.
Preventing Chlamydia involves several strategies aimed at reducing the risk of infection through sexual contact. Here are key measures to help prevent Chlamydia:
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