Spotlight on: Chlamydia!

Let’s have a bit of a chat about Chlamydia (pronounced Kla - middy - ah):

a sexually transmissible infection that can impact absolutely anyone who is sexually active, whether you happen to have a vulva or a penis!

Did you know that you’re at higher risk of contracting Chlamydia if you’re under 25, have multiple sexual partners or have sex without condoms?

It’s caused by the spread of a bacteria called Chlamydia Trachomatis during sexual contact, and can affect your genitals, anus, nose/throat or even your eyes!

Chlamydia can be a bit of a trickster, because you won’t always know if you or one of your partners have it. Quite often Chlamydia hides, and an infected person will have no signs or symptoms - which isn’t great - because if left untreated, it can cause complications like arthritis (Wait, what? Arthritis from Chlamydia? Yep. Chlamydia can cause your immune system to trigger a reactive arthritis, so listen up - because NO ONE is wanting arthritis!), skin rashes and inflammation.

If someone with a uterus has untreated Chlamydia, it can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID - more on this in a later post!) and scarring the fallopian tubes. This scarring increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside of the uterus which can be life threatening) or infertility when the fallopian tubes become blocked.

For those with a penis, the untreated infection can eventually spread to the testicles via the tubes that carry sperm and semen, and cause pain and inflammation and - just like those with a uterus - scar tissue which can block the tubes and contribute to infertility. If you’re pregnant and have undiagnosed Chlamydia, you could pass it onto your baby - usually in the form of an eye infection - during birth. (This is one of the reasons why pregnant women are offered screening for sexually transmissible infections throughout their antenatal care).

If you do develop symptoms of Chlamydia, and have a vulva you might have an unusual vaginal discharge, bleeding after sex, pain during sex, or a stinging or burning sensation when you pee. You might also have some lower abdominal or pelvic pain. If you have a penis, you might see a white discharge from the urethra (the hole from which you pee), and passing urine might sting or burn. In later stages you might experience swollen, sore testicles. If you’re infected in other organs like the eyes, you'll probably experience pain, inflammation or a discharge like conjunctivitis.

The good news is that Chlamydia is really, really easy to test for and treat.

If you suspect you have Chlamydia or are at higher risk for contracting it, a simple urine test or swab from the vagina, cervix, tip of the penis, or anus (or eyes!) can be sent off for testing. If it’s positive, you’ll usually just require a simple course of antibiotics to clear it up. If you’re symptomatic or know one of your recent partners has Chlamydia chances are you’ll be advised to start the antibiotics before the test results come back - the sooner it’s treated, the less chance you’ll have of developing complications!  

The best way to make sure you don’t get infected with Chlamydia is to use condoms or dental dams every time you have vaginal, anal or oral sex. If you have a lot of sex with different partners, or your partner has multiple partners, it’s a great idea to visit your GP, family planning centre or sexual health clinic for screening for sexually transmissible infections - including Chlamydia - around every 3 to six months.

References:

Australian Government, (2020). “Chlamydia”. Health Direct. Accessed 24/10/22. Available: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/chlamydia

Victorian Government, (2020). “Chlamydia”. Better Health Channel. Accessed 24/10/22. Available: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/chlamydia#how-does-chlamydia-spread