Chlamydia is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection that is easily tested for and curable with antibiotics. Most people have no symptoms, but symptoms may include bleeding between periods, yellow/green vaginal or penile discharge (fluid), a need to urinate more often, swollen or tender testicles, or a burning pain when the person urinates.

Also know as: The Silent Infection, The Clap

How You Get It:

• Vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has chlamydia
• Passed to babies through the birth canal

Symptoms:

• Most people have no symptoms
• Show up 2-21 days after infection
• Discharge from the vagina
• Bleeding between periods
• Burning or pain during urination
• A need to urinate more often
• Pain during sex
• Watery white drip from the penis
• Swollen or tender testicles

Prevention: With condom use in most cases

Testing: Easily detected by a urine test or swab

Treatment:

• Treatable and curable with antibiotics
• Aviod sexual contact until treatment is complete (about 1 week)
• Encourage your partner to go with you for testing and treatment. When that is not possible, Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) is available. EPT allows the person testing positive to get prescriptions for treatment for their sexual partner(s) without that person being tested.

If left untreated:

• Will continue to spread it to sex partners
• Increased risk for other sexually transmitted infections
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Reproductive organs can be permanently damaged
• Infertility (no longer able to have children)

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