Chlamydia Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) in America. Chlamydia is caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis that can infect both men and women through sexual contact.1 The bacteria can infect the vagina, penis, anus, mouth, or eyes.2 Chlamydia can adversely affect essential urinary and reproductive organs. Fortunately, this infection is not difficult to treat with antibiotics. However, several problems can arise if chlamydia is not treated adequately or quickly enough. Chlamydia is usually asymptomatic, or silent, meaning that people who have this disease do not show any signs of abnormality.1 This can be a considerable problem since the success of treatment depends on when victims seek antibiotics. plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Some groups are more susceptible to chlamydia than others. Chlamydia is more common among young people. People in their teens and twenties are three times more likely to be diagnosed than people ages 25 to 39. An estimated one in 15 sexually active young women has chlamydia.1 Studies show that chlamydia is also common among men who have sex with men (MSM). People who have multiple sexual partners are also at greater risk of becoming infected.1 Between 1995 and 2011, the number of women reporting having chlamydia increased each year.1 This may be explained by an increase of women screened for chlamydia and screened for chlamydia. able to report results. Additionally, studies show that chlamydia is more common among African Americans than other ethnic groups in the United States1. Only 10% of men and 5-30% of women report noticeable symptoms.1 Symptoms can take weeks to finally manifest in those who develop noticeable symptoms. symptoms. These symptoms include painful urination, discharge, sores, and rashes.3 Chlamydia can affect men and women differently. In men, the symptoms are similar to the characteristics of gonorrhea and can often be confused with one or the other. In women, the infection begins in the cervix, which can spread to the upper reproductive tract, causing other illnesses and complications. In both men and women, the infection can affect the urethra and cause urethritis that varies in pain and discomfort for victims.3 Chlamydia bacteria can also be viable in the rectum in both men and women. This may be possible through anal sex or, in women, through the spread of bacteria from the cervix or vagina.3 Rectal infections caused by chlamydia probably have no symptoms, but may cause pain in symptomatic people (showing symptoms). Symptoms of rectal infections may include bleeding and/or diarrhea.3 Because there is no immunity to chlamydia, people can become infected more than once.4 Women who are infected multiple times are more likely to have problems of reproductive health. About 20% of younger women become infected more than once due to sexual partners who did not adequately treat the infection.1 Due to the frequency of reinfection, young women are usually asked to undergo a check-up three months later the treatment. Young women should be tested regularly regardless of whether they have been diagnosed in the past or not, due to this demographic's susceptibility to contractingchlamydia infection.5 Chlamydia can be diagnosed by a sample of vaginal or penile secretions, where the bacteria can be examined.1 Sometimes samples can also be taken from urethral secretions. In cases where rectal infections are involved, samples taken from the rectum will also be tested. These tests will specify whether patients have chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis. These diseases can infect one person at the same time. Often people feel like they have one of these diseases without being sure, so testing is helpful. One of the problems that may occur is called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).5 PID is often serious and must be treated as soon as possible to prevent serious damage to women's reproductive organs. PID can be caused when women become infected with the chlamydia or gonorrhea bacteria.1 These are the most common cases of PID, and chlamydia accounts for at least a third of cases. PID can also go unnoticed and, therefore, is ignored by the victim until pain sets in and actual damage has occurred. When symptoms are evident, reported irritations include lower abdominal pain, pelvic pain, and burning when urinating.5 However, symptoms of PID can vary greatly, and some women's pain may be mild while others have more severe pain. PID can lead to further problems when the bacteria is left to persist. Tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) is the next step for bacteria after PID and is caused by inflamed fallopian tubes, ovaries, or other reproductive organs.1 TOA can be harmful when the victim does not get the expected reaction to antibiotics . Damaged organs can sometimes be surgically repaired or at least mitigated. The damage caused by PID and TOA depends on how quickly the woman seeks treatment.1 Antibiotics are given to treat both PID and TOA, but any scarring caused cannot be reversed so easily. In recent years, rates of women with PID have not increased, likely due to more women undergoing screening for chlamydia. Birth control pills for women can help prevent bacteria from spreading to the upper genital tracts, which can be effective in preventing PID. The pills work by creating thicker vaginal secretions that work as a barrier against bacteria.2 While this tactic can help reduce the risk of PID, antibiotics are still necessary to treat the infection and eliminate the bacteria. Women with STDs should not use douches because unnatural substances inside the vagina can increase the risk of bacteria. Pregnant women with chlamydia may have different symptoms than other women. Symptoms include bleeding after sexual intercourse, itching after urination, and abnormal vaginal discharge.1 Chlamydia can infect newborns when women are not yet treated at the time of delivery. Newborns are often underweight and premature. These infants are at risk of being diagnosed with pneumonia, lung infections, or conjunctivitis, commonly known as pinkeye.4 These infections can be treated with antibiotics. While chlamydia may seem like a minor infection to some, especially when symptoms aren't present, the stakes are high when the bacteria is allowed to thrive. After the infection has spread to a woman's uterus and fallopian tubes, PID can develop, perpetually harming the victim and leaving her with unremitting pain. There is also the possibility of infertility or ectopic pregnancy.4 Ectopic pregnancy, or pregnancy outside the uterus, is often fatal to both the mother and her.