FAMILY MEDICINE® COLUMN

By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

CHLAMYDIA USUALLY PRESENTS NO SYMPTOMS

Question: My doctor’s office called and told me they had found a Chlamydia infection when I had my annual gynecology checkup. They called in some antibiotics for me, but I am not sure I should take them because I haven’t noticed have any symptoms. I feel fine. Do you think this diagnosis could be a medical error?

Answer: Unfortunately, I have no reason to think your diagnosis is incorrect. Chlamydia usually does not cause any symptoms, and it is most commonly found during annual gynecological exams. Although the symptoms typically are absent or mild, the infection can cause serious, irreversible damage to a woman’s reproductive organs, if left untreated.

Chlamydia is a very common infection, caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis, and is spread through sexual contact. The more sexual partners a person has, the more likely he or she is to become infected. There are more than one million cases of Chlamydia reported annually, which leads disease experts to put the annual average closer to two million.

Chlamydia is frequently called a “silent” disease, because about three quarters of infected women and about half of infected men present no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they often come on one to three weeks after exposure. Some symptoms of Chlamydia include burning during urination, lower abdominal pain, vaginal discharge, pain during intercourse and irregular bleeding.

Since the infection frequently presents no symptoms, it can go untreated for long periods of time. In women, this can cause the infection to spread to the fallopian tubes and other reproductive organs. The fallopian tube infection, called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) often scars the fallopian tubes, which can lead to chronic pelvic pain, infertility or potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside of the uterus). Women infected with Chlamydia are up to five times more likely to contract HIV if exposed to it.

Infected pregnant women also can pass Chlamydia to their unborn babies. This increases the risks for premature delivery, and it can cause respiratory and/or eye infections in the newborn.

Men also can be infected with Chlamydia. They, too, often present no symptoms, although they occasionally experience urinary burning or discharge as a result of the infection. If their partner is diagnosed with Chlamydia, men should seek treatment to avoid infecting or re-infecting their partners.

Chlamydia is easily treated with common antibiotics. So yes, you should take the ones your doctor prescribed. You also should make sure your sexual partner gets tested and treated, if necessary. I would recommend abstaining from sexual contact until you both complete treatment, to avoid re-infection. Doctors often encourage re-testing three or four months after treatment.

Prevention is always preferable to treatment. Safer sex practices, such as using condoms, can decrease the likelihood of contracting Chlamydia again in the future.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701, or via e-mail to readerquestions@familymedicinenews.org. Medical information in this column is provided as an educational service only. It does not replace the judgment of your personal physician, who should be relied on to diagnose and recommend treatment for any medical conditions. Past columns are available online at www.familymedicinenews.org.