Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually transmitted bacterial infection that is often asymptomatic. It can cause genital pain and discharge. While curable with antibiotics, chlamydia poses risks if left untreated, such as pelvic inflammatory disease in women. Regular screening and condom use can help prevent transmission.

1. PREPARED BY
MARTIN SHAJI
PHARM D
CHLAMYDIA
TRACHOMATIS-
medical information

2. Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually
transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria. You
might not know you have chlamydia because many
people don't have signs or symptoms, such as
genital pain and discharge from the vagina or
penis.
Introduction

4. Epidemiology
It is estimated that 1 in 20 sexually active young
women aged 14-24 years has chlamydia.
Substantial racial/ethnic disparities in chlamydial
infection exist, with prevalence among non-Hispanic
blacks 5.6 times the prevalence among non-
Hispanic whites. Chlamydia is also common among
men who have sex with men (MSM).

5. Incubation Period And
Asymptomatic Persistence
The incubation period of symptomatic disease
ranges from 5 to 14 days following infection.
However, it is unclear how long those with
asymptomatic disease may carry the infection.

6. Symptoms
Early-stage Chlamydia trachomatis infections
often cause few or no signs and symptoms. Even
when signs and symptoms occur, they're often
mild, making them easy to overlook.

7. Signs and symptoms of Chlamydia
trachomatis infection can include:
★Painful urination
★Vaginal discharge in women
★Discharge from the penis in men
★Painful sexual intercourse in women
★Bleeding between periods and after sex in women
★Testicular pain in men
★Chlamydia trachomatis can also infect the rectum, either
with no signs or symptoms or with rectal pain, discharge or
bleeding. You also can get chlamydial eye infections
(conjunctivitis) through contact with infected body fluids.

8. Causes
The Chlamydia trachomatis bacterium is most
commonly spread through vaginal, oral and anal
sex. It's also possible for pregnant women to
spread chlamydia to their children during delivery,
causing pneumonia or a serious eye infection in
the newborns.

9. Risk Factors
Factors that increase your risk of Chlamydia
trachomatis include:
–>Being sexually active before age 25
–>Having multiple sex partners
–>Not using a condom consistently
–>History of sexually transmitted infection

10. Prevention
The surest way to prevent chlamydia infection is to
abstain from sexual activities. Short of that, you can:
✓Use condoms.
✓Limit your number of sex partners.
✓Get regular screenings.
✓Avoid douching. Douching decreases the number of
good bacteria in the vagina, which can increase the risk of
infection.

11. Treatments
Chlamydia trachomatis is treated with antibiotics. You might
receive a one-time dose, or you might need to take the
medication daily or multiple times a day for five to 10 days.
In most cases, the infection resolves within one to two
weeks. During that time, you should abstain from sex. Your
sexual partner or partners also need treatment even if they
have no signs or symptoms. Otherwise, the infection can be
passed back and forth between sexual partners.
Having chlamydia or having been treated for it in the past
doesn't prevent you from getting it again.

12. The good news is that chlamydia is easy to treat. Since it’s
bacterial in nature, it’s treated with antibiotics.
Azithromycin is an antibiotic usually prescribed in a single,
large dose. Doxycycline is an antibiotic that must be taken
twice per day for about one week.
Other antibiotics may also be given. No matter which
antibiotic is prescribed, dosage instructions should be
followed carefully to make sure the infection clears up
fully. This can take up to two weeks, even with the single-
dose medications.

13. During the treatment time, it’s important not to
have sex. It’s still possible to transmit and contract
chlamydia if exposed again, even if you’ve treated
a previous infection.
Although chlamydia is curable, it’s still important
to stay protected and prevent recurrence.