Fact sheet #3 - chlamydia


Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis.


Chlamydia is passed on via unprotected sex (sex without a condom) and by sharing sex toys.
Safer sex is the most effective way to prevent chlamydia. This means using a condom every time you have sex (vaginal, anal or oral). A dental dam can be used to cover the female genitals during oral sex. Any sex toys should be covered with a new condom, and washed after use.
If you have had unprotected sex, or you are worried about chlamydia, get tested


Chlamydia symptoms 

Many people with chlamydia experience no symptoms (70% of women and 50% of men). If symptoms do appear, they can become noticeable between one and three weeks after infection. In others, it can take a number of months or until the infection spreads to other parts of the body.
Women may experience:
  • an increase in vaginal discharge caused by an inflamed womb (cervix)
  • pain when urinating
  • pain during sex and/or bleeding after sex
  • pain in the lower abdomen - especially when having sex
  • bleeding between periods and/or heavier periods.
In men, symptoms include:
  • a white, cloudy or watery discharge from the penis
  • pain when urinating
  • pain in the testicles.
Infected semen or vaginal fluid in the eyes can cause inflammation of the eye (conjunctivitis). Unprotected anal or oral sex can lead to infection and symptoms in the rectum (discomfort, pain, bleeding or discharge) or throat (normally no symptoms).
You can't diagnose chlamydia by looking at pictures because symptoms vary from person to person. If you think you have chlamydia, see your doctor.


You can be tested for chlamydia whether you have symptoms or not.
For women, a doctor or healthcare worker may take a swab from either the cervix or the vagina. In men, either a urine sample or a swab is taken from the tip of the penis (urethra). If you have had anal or oral sex, you may have a swab taken from the rectum or throat.
Results take no longer than a few days to come back.

How is chlamydia treated?

Chlamydia is treated easily with a short course of antibiotics. The two most common are:
  • azithromycin (single dose)
  • doxycycline (two capsules a day for a week).
If you are allergic to certain antibiotics, or are pregnant, the doctor may give you different antibiotics such as ofloxacin and erythromycin.

To avoid re-infection, avoid having sex during treatment. Any current or recent sexual partners should also be tested and treated.

What happens if I don't get treatment for chlamydia?

As with most STIs, chlamydia puts you at risk of other STIs, including HIV. A pregnant woman can also pass chlamydia to her baby.
If chlamydia is left untreated it can lead to other health problems.
For example, in women:
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - infection of the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes. Can be treated with antibiotics
  • Cervicitis - inflammation of the cervix
  • Blocked fallopian tubes (Salpingitis) -inflammation of the fallopian tubes, preventing an egg from travelling from the ovary to the womb. Can sometimes be treated with surgery
  • Swollen Bartholin’s glands (Bartholinitis) - Chlamydia can cause the glands which produce a woman's lubricating mucus to become blocked and infected, leading to a cyst. The cyst can become infected and develop into an abscess. The abscess can be treated with antibiotics.
And in men:
  • Epididymitis - inflammation of the tubes that carry sperm to the testicles
  • Urethritis - inflammation of the urine tube
  • Reactive arthritis - inflammation of the joints, and in some people, the urethra and the eyes (conjunctivitis). Painkillers can control symptoms


Dont let Chlamydia get to you and get yourself tested.

There are two tests available for the same -

  • Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT). These tests find the genetic material (DNA) of chlamydia bacteria. These tests are very good at identifying chlamydia. A test that is positive almost always means the problem is there and is unlikely to be a false-positive test result. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is an example of a nucleic acid amplification test. This test can also be done on a urine sample.
  • Chlamydia culture. This is a test to find the bacteria that cause a chlamydia infection. A sample of body fluid from areas such as the cervix, urethra, eye, rectum, or throat is added to certain cells used to grow chlamydia. If no chlamydia bacteria infect the cells, the culture is negative. If chlamydia bacteria infect the cells, the culture is positive. Results take longer (5 to 7 days) than the other tests.

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