Chlamydia
- It is caused by bacterium.
- Can occur in women and men but has greater risk to damage a women’s female reproductive system.
How common is it?
- It is the most common bacterial STD in the United States
- In 2011, 1,412,791 cases of chlamydia were reported to CDC from 50 states and the District of Columbia, but an estimated 2.86 million infections occur annually.
- A large number of cases are not reported because most people with chlamydia do not have symptoms and do not seek testing. Chlamydia is most common among young people.
- It is estimated that 1 in 15 sexually active females aged 14-19 years has chlamydia.
How do people get chlamydia?
- By having sex with someone who has the infection.
- “Having sex” means anal, vaginal, or oral sex.
- Chlamydia can still be transmitted even if a man does not ejaculate.
- People who have had chlamydia and have been treated can get infected again if they have sex with an infected person.
Who is at risk?
- Any sexually active person can be infected with chlamydia.
- Sexually active young people are at high risk of acquiring chlamydia for a combination of behavioral and biological reasons.
- Men who have sex with men (MSM) are also at risk for chlamydial infection since chlamydia can be transmitted by oral or anal sex.
What are the symptoms?
- Most infected people have no symptoms.
- Even when there are no symptoms, a women’s reproductive organs and be severely damaged.
What are some complications?
- In pregnant women, untreated chlamydia has been associated with pre-term delivery, and can spread to the newborn, causing an eye infection or pneumonia.
- Complications are rare in men. Infection sometimes spreads to the tube that carries sperm from the testis, causing pain, fever, and, rarely, preventing a man from being able to father children.
- Untreated chlamydia can increase one’s chances at becoming infected with HIV.