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Chlamydia

What is it?
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, which can damage a woman’s reproductive organs. Even though symptoms of chlamydia are usually mild or absent, serious complications that cause irreversible damage, including infertility, can occur before a woman ever recognizes a problem.

Chlamydia also can cause discharge from the penis of an infected man.

In Britain there were 42,668 cases in 1996 but rose to 113,585 in 2006 – a 166% increase!!

Symptoms
Most women who are infected with chlamydia will have no symptoms but some may notice:

• A change in the normal discharge from the vagina.
• More frequent or painful peeing.
• Pain during sex.

• Bleeding between periods or irregular periods.

Men are more likely to notice symptoms, but some may have no symptoms at all. Those with symptoms may have:

• Discharge from the penis.

• Pain or burning when peeing.

Want to see it? Very disturbing!!! – click button for photo in new window

The eyes can become infected with chlamydia and if they do, both men and women may experience painful swelling and irritation.

How do people get it?
You can get chlamydia in the following ways:

• Penetrative sex (where the penis enters the vagina or anus).
• Oral sex (from mouth to the genitals or genitals to the mouth).
• Mother to baby during birth.

• Occasionally by transferring the infection on fingers from the genitals to the eyes.

How is it diagnosed and treated?
Chlamydia tests are often taken by using a pee sample, although samples may be taken from any infected place such as the cervix for women or the urethra (pee tube) for men. These are sent to a laboratory for testing and the results are usually available within a week. If the test is positive, the treatment for chlamydia is usually a simple one-off course of antibiotics.

You should avoid all sexual contact for at least one week after being treated. Check with your nurse, doctor or clinic. If you can, you should let anyone that you have had sexual contact with in the last 3 to 6 months know that they may have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and that they need to be checked out and possibly tested. Staff at the clinic will offer you as much support as you need to do this.

A woman can pass on chlamydia to her baby if she has it at the time of birth. If this happens though, both baby and mother can be treated with antibiotics after birth.

What if it is not treated?
In women, if not treated, chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, fertility problems, ectopic pregnancy (where the baby grows outside the womb) and chronic pelvic pain. The more times that you get chlamydia the higher your chances of not being able to have a baby (even if treated) and the more people you have sex with, the more likely you are to get it.

If left untreated, there is evidence to suggest that chlamydia may affect men’s fertility as well.

Where to get help
If you think you may have chlamydia, contact your local sexual health (GUM) clinic and make an appointment. It’s easy and completely confidential.

For more information on sexual health (including HIV), call the Sexual Health Line free (from the UK) on 0800 567 123, textphone (for people with hearing impairments) 0800 521 361 or phone your local NHS sexual health clinic.

Links and contact details

Name: NHS Direct Wales
Web: NHS Direct Wales – Health Encyclopedia
Email:
Tel: 0845 46 47
Info: NHS Direct Wales is a health advice and information service available 24 hours a day, every day that was set up by the Welsh Assembly Government.

GUM Clinics in South East Wales

ABERDARE
Aberdare General Hospital
Aberdare, CF44 0RF
Tel: 01443 443597
Opening Times: Tue & Thu, 9.30am – 12.30pm

CARDIFF
Cardiff Royal Infirmary
Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 0SZ
Tel: 029 2033 5207 / 8
Opening times: Mon, Tues, Thurs 8.40 a.m – 5.00 p.m; Wednesday – Closed; Friday Afternoon – Closed (Closed for lunch 12.15 – 1.15 p.m.)

NEWPORT
Royal Gwent Hospital
Cardiff Road, Newport, NP2 2UB
Tel: 01633 234555
Opening times: Mon – Fri, 9.00am – 12.30pm; 1.30pm – 4.30pm

PONTYPOOL
Panteg County Hospital
Coed-Y-Cric Road, Griffiths Town, Pontypool, NP4 5YA
Tel: 01633 234555
Opening times: Mon, 5.00pm – 7.30pm

PONTYPRIDD
Students Health Centre
Dewi Sant Hospital
University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd, CF37 1DL
Tel: 01443 443597
Opening times: Tue, 9.00am – 12.30pm

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