Chlamydien

are bacteria, mainly transmitted during sex. Chlamydia infections are very common and can lead to severe inflammations, if not discovered in time. Since chlamydia usually don’t cause any symptoms at first, it is important to have regular medical check-ups.

How Does the Infection Progress?

In women, an untreated infection with chlamydia can spread from the vagina to the uterus, the fallopian tubes and into the abdominal cavity causing a pelvic inflammatory disease. This frequently means that you may not have babies. Also in women chlamydia can lead to an inflammation of the urethra.

In men, an infection with chlamydia is often the reason for an inflammation of the urethra. Without treatment, an inflammation of the prostate and epididymis may follow. Rarely this may cause infertility.

Both, women and men can get an infection with chlamydia in the throat or in the rectum, depending on the sexual practice.

How Do I Know if I Have Chlamydia?

Most people do not notice anything.
If symptoms occur, they may be:

In Women:

Frequent and painful urination
Lower abdominal pain
Pain during sex
Yellowish discharge
Vaginal bleeding between periods

In Men:

Frequent and painful urination
Yellowish discharge from the penis
Pain in the testicles

In Both Women and Men

Chlamydia in the rectum may cause discharge and pain during bowel movements or anal sex. Chlamydia in the throat may cause redness or a sore throat.

Sexual Transmission

Sexual intercourse (mouth, vagina, penis, rectum)
Petting and fisting
Sharing sex toys

How to Protect Yourself?

During vaginal and anal sex, latex condoms offer a high level of protection for penis, vagina and rectum.
During oral sex, condoms provide a good protection for the penis, the mouth, the lips or the tongue. Latex lickcloths (dental dams), placed on the vagina or on the anus during oral sex, also help to protect you.

How to Be Diagnosed?

Chlamydia can be detected in a urine sample and in a swab from the vagina/the cervix (canal into the womb), the rectum or the throat.

Treatment

Antibiotics

Further Recommendations

In case of an infection, your sexual partners of the last three months should be examined, even if they have no symptoms.
You should not have sex until the treatment is completed.
Two months after the treatment a control test should be made.

Good to Know

Being infected with chlamydia increases the risk of catching HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases.

We, the staff members of the counseling centers on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) are there for you.We offer confidential, anonymous and free counseling on chlamydia. Some of us also provide testing on chlamydia.