Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
Chlamydia
Summary
How is chlamydia spread?
You can get chlamydia by having unprotected vaginal, anal, and oral sex. This means that you can get chlamydia in the throat and anus as well as the genitals. One simple way to protect yourself is by using a condom when engaging in these types of sexual contact.
An infected woman can give her baby chlamydia during childbirth.
Most people that have chlamydia don’t show symptoms
You can still catch chlamydia from someone who has the infection, even if they have no symptoms.
If a woman has chlamydia, and it is left untreated, it can infect the cervix and spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes, causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility.
Find your nearest sexual health clinic
There are sexual health clinics all over New Zealand. Find a sexual health clinic near you.
Symptoms
Most people that have chlamydia don't know it, since the disease often has no symptoms.
If you do get symptoms, they include:
Women
- discoloured discharge from vagina
- pelvic pain
- bleeding between periods
- pain when peeing
- pain during sex
- rectal pain and bleeding.
Men
- a discharge from the end of the penis
- sore testicles
- pain when peeing
- pain during sex
- rectal pain and bleeding.
Treatment
Chlamydia can be treated. Antibiotics (usually a one-off dose) will treat chlamydia and kill the infection completely. If a woman has chlamydia, and it is left untreated, it can infect the cervix and spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes, causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility.
If your doctor has prescribed a single dose of medication, you should wait until seven days after taking the medication before having sex. A longer treatment course may be necessary, and again, you should wait until you have completed the treatment before having sex again.
Your partner should also be treated for chlamydia to reduce the risk of getting the infection again, even if they have no symptoms.
For more information and advice about treatment please visit a health specialist. Any of the options below will be able to help you.
- Sexual Health Clinic
- Family Planning centre
- School nurse
- Your doctor
Prevention
Condoms will help protect you and your partner/s when you have sex.