NHS - Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It can infect both men and women and typically affects the genital area, but it can also infect the rectum and throat.

Chlamydia is primarily transmitted through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected person. It can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth.

Chlamydia often has no symptoms, particularly in women. When symptoms do occur, they can include pain during urination, unusual discharge from the penis or vagina, and pain or bleeding during sex. In men, symptoms can also include pain and swelling in the testicles.

You can get tested for chlamydia at various places including sexual health clinics, your GP, and some pharmacies. The test usually involves a urine sample or a swab from the affected area.

Yes, chlamydia can be easily cured with a course of antibiotics. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics are azithromycin and doxycycline.

If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to serious health problems. In women, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can result in chronic pain and infertility. In men, untreated chlamydia can lead to epididymitis, which can also result in infertility.

Yes, if you have been diagnosed with chlamydia, it is important that your current sexual partner and any recent partners get tested and treated to prevent re-infection and further spread of the infection.

You should avoid having sex (including oral and anal sex) until you and your partner have completed the treatment and any symptoms have cleared up. This usually means waiting at least 7 days after a single-dose treatment or until completion of a 7-day course of antibiotics.

While the antibiotics will cure the current infection, you can get chlamydia again if you have unprotected sex with an infected person.

To prevent chlamydia, use condoms consistently and correctly during vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Regular screening and sexual health check-ups also help in early detection and prevention of the spread of the infection.

Yes, testing for chlamydia is free on the NHS. You can get tested at sexual health clinics, GPs, and some pharmacies.

Yes, if a pregnant woman has chlamydia, it can be passed to the baby during childbirth, leading to complications such as eye infections and pneumonia in the newborn. It is important for pregnant women to get tested and treated if necessary.

No, chlamydia does not always show symptoms. Many people with chlamydia have no symptoms at all, which is why regular testing is important, especially if you have multiple sexual partners.

No, chlamydia is not transmitted through kissing. It is typically spread through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

Yes, if untreated, chlamydia can cause long-term health issues such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women and epididymitis in men, both of which can lead to infertility and chronic pain.