1. STDs
2. Chlamydia

Chlamydia Singapore | Shim Clinic

What Is Chlamydia?

Chlamydia has infected 129 million people across the world in 2020 alone, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates. Only one STD, trichomoniasis, has infected more people on an annual basis – 156 million cases.

While the infection doesn’t cause many signs and symptoms, it can be dangerous when left undiagnosed and untreated. Alongside gonorrhoea, chlamydia is one of the most common causes of pelvic inflammatory disease. If left untreated too long, it can contribute to infertility in women.

This sexually transmitted disease is caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis. While studies show that it affects predominantly young women, chlamydia can infect both women and men. The bacterium can be passed on from one person to another through unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex with someone who is infected. Even if someone with chlamydia does not display symptoms, the bacteria can still spread. A pregnant woman who has chlamydia can pass the STD to their baby during childbirth.

A few risk factors make an infection with chlamydia more likely to occur. These include:

• Not using barrier contraception like a condom during sex
• Having multiple sexual partners
• Having a sexual partner who has intercourse with other people
• Having a history of chlamydia or other STDs

The most important thing you need to understand about this STD is that it’s very easy to treat, especially if identified early on. That’s a key reason why regular STD testing makes sense for all sexually-active individuals.

A chlamydia infection is caused by a bacteria chlamydia trachomatis, which is transmitted during unprotected sex, like condom break, slip, or no condom. It causes minimal symptoms, but chronic infection may lead to infertility, and pain.

Typical Chlamydia Symptoms

Chlamydia, like other STDs, has a number of stages. Early stage chlamydia often doesn’t cause any symptoms.  In some instances, it doesn’t cause signs even as it progresses. The fact that no symptoms are present, however, doesn’t mean the bacterium isn’t causing damage to the reproductive tract and organs.

Some of the chlamydia symptoms that could be experienced as the infection progresses include the following:

• Unusual, sometimes smelly discharge from the vagina or the penis
• A burning sensation during urination
• Pain and swelling in one or both testicles
• Unusual sores in the genital region
• Bleeding between periods in women
• Painful intercourse in women

Chlamydia trachomatis can also affect the rectum. If that’s where the infection has occurred, the symptoms will include bleeding, rectal pain and discharge.

A chlamydia infection resulting from oral sex will cause problems in the throat. The symptoms in that instance will include a sore throat, fever and a cough.

You can easily conclude these symptoms are very non-specific. Apart from being caused by chlamydia, they can result from various other STDs and reproductive conditions. That’s why the only reliable way to determine if you’re infected is to get tested.

Learn more about the symptoms of Chlamydia here.

Chlamydia Complications

An infection that remains ongoing for a prolonged period of time and isn’t treated can cause an array of complications.

Some of the most common and most serious issues stemming from a chlamydia infection that’s left unchecked include:

• Pelvic inflammatory disease: an infection of the uterus and fallopian tubes in women that causes pain in the pelvic region and fever. A severe infection has gotten numerous women hospitalised. The administration of powerful antibiotics is needed in hospital to counter the infection.
• Infertility: pelvic inflammatory disease is a main cause of infertility in women. Scarring and obstructions can make it difficult or even impossible to get pregnant.
• Prostate infections: men could experience a prostate gland infection caused prostatitis as a chlamydia complication.
• Ectopic pregnancy: even women who do get pregnant may experience complications as a result of uterine and fallopian tube scarring. Ectopic pregnancies occur more often in women who have chlamydia than in those who are free from STDs.
• Reactive arthritis: chlamydia increases the risk of developing Reiter’s syndrome, also known as reactive arthritis. The condition affects the joints and the urethra.
• Infections in newborns
• Infections and inflammation in the region around the testicles

Testing for Chlamydia

The most effective test for chlamydia involves the provision of

• a vaginal swab for women
• a urine sample for men

Depending on where the infection is localised, a swab test could also be performed to gather material from the throat or the rectum.

The most common type of test employed is called a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). It can detect the DNA of the disease-causing bacterium in the sample. Using a cell culture to test for chlamydia is less common but this method is also employed in some clinics. At the lab, technicians look for bacteria multiplying. If bacterial growth occurs in the sample, an infection is present. Very often, cell culture tests are used to determine if a treatment is working.

For best results, there are a few things you need to do before getting tested:

• If you need to provide a urine sample, refrain from peeing in the few hours prior to getting tested
• If you need to get your vagina swabbed, don’t douche or use vaginal cleansers before getting tested
• It’s important to refrain from taking antibiotics in the few days before getting tested

Usually, results are available in a couple of days. Contemporary tests are very accurate and reliable, providing information you can count on.

Anyone who tests positive and undergoes a treatment for chlamydia will need to get re-tested two or three months after the treatment. That’s when an accurate assessment of the treatment’s effectiveness can be made.

Learn more about getting tested for Chlamydia here.

Chlamydia Treatment

Since chlamydia is bacterial in nature, it can be treated with antibiotics.

Azithromycin is most common prescribed as a single-dose treatment. Alternatively, a doxycycline treatment may be prescribed for a period of up to two weeks.

Depending on a doctor’s judgment, an alternative antibiotic may be prescribed. The important thing is to keep on taking the medicine for the entire prescribed treatment course. Shortening the treatment can reduce its effectiveness or render it ineffective altogether.

It’s best to refrain from being sexually active until the treatment is finalised. Some people may also prefer to abstain until they get re-tested for chlamydia.

If you do some online research, you’ll probably come across DIY and home treatments for chlamydia. Echinacea, for example, is often prescribed as a natural treatment. Understand that a bacterium can only be killed by a powerful antibiotic. Some home remedies could ease the symptoms but to get rid of chlamydia, you have to get an effective medicine prescribed by a doctor at a STD clinic in Singapore.

Learn more about Chlamydia treatment here.

Chlamydia Prevention Practices

The best ways to prevent a chlamydia infection are the same ones you’d employ to reduce the risk of all other STDs.

To protect your own health and that of your sexual partner(s), try to stick to the following:

• Abstain from having a sexual relationship with someone who hasn’t been tested for STDs
• Always use barrier contraception like condoms, even if you’re in a committed monogamous relationship
• Get tested for STDs regularly
• Avoid having alternative forms of sex (like oral sex, for example) until you and your partner have been tested for STDs
• Limit the number of sexual partners you have
• Avoid vaginal douching as it increases the number of good bacteria and predisposes you to all kinds of infections
• If you find out that you’re infected, inform your sexual partner(s) and make sure that they’re getting tested, as well

Contact Shim Clinic to Get Tested or Treated For Chlamydia Now

If you suspect that you might have contracted Chlamydia or other STDs, give us a call or come down to get tested for STDs and to get treated immediately.

Our contact details are as follows:

(+65) 6446 7446
(+65) 8668 7446

References

1. BASHH (2006). National Guideline for the Management of Genital Tract Infection with Chlamydia Trachomatis.
2. Johnson, R.E., Newhall, W.J., Papp, J.R., Knapp, J.S., Black, C.M., Gift, T.L., et al. (2002). Screening tests to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections. (Vol 51, RR-15: 1 – 38). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/std/labguidelines/rr5115.pdf
3. Lau, C.Y., & Qureshi, A.K. (2002). Azithromycin versus Doxycycline for Genital Chlamydial Iinfections: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. PubMed, 29(9):497 – 502.
4. McMillan, I.R., Young, H., Ogilvie, M.M., & Scott. R.G. (2002). Clinical Practice in Sexually Transmissible Infections. London: Saunders Ltd.
5. MOH (2009). Management of Genital Ulcers and Discharges: Clinical Practice Guidelines. (Vol. 1). Singapore: Ministry of Health.
6. Workowski, K.A. & Berman, S. (2010). Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines.(Vol. 59). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5912a1.htm

Chlamydia treatment is available!

References

• Chlamydia @ Wikipedia