BY:

MARGARET
G. TUERES

A common
sexually
transmitted
disease (STD)
Often has no
symptoms
Easily treated
Easily spread
with or without
symptoms.
Condoms offer
good protection

WHAT IS CHLAMYDIA?
Chlamydiais a common STD that can infect both
men and women. It is an infection with the bacteria
known asChlamydia trachomatis It can cause
serious, permanent damage to a woman's
reproductive system, making it difficult or
impossible for her to get pregnant later on.
Chlamydia can also cause a potentially fatal ectopic
pregnancy (pregnancy that occurs outside the
womb).

HOW IS CHLAMYDIA SPREAD?

You can get chlamydia by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with
someone who has chlamydia.
If your sex partner is male you can still get chlamydia even if he
does not ejaculate (cum).
If youve had chlamydia and were treated in the past, you can
still get infected again if you have unprotected sex with
someone who has chlamydia.
If
you
are
pregnant,you can give chlamydia
to your baby during childbirth.

How do I know if I have chlamydia?

Most people who have chlamydia have no
symptoms.
If you do have symptoms, they may not
appear until several weeks after you have sex
with an infected partner.
Even when chlamydia causes no symptoms, it
can damage your reproductive system.

Women with symptoms may notice

An abnormal vaginal discharge;
A burning sensation when
urinating.
Symptoms in men can include
A discharge from their penis;
A burning sensation when urinating;
Pain and swelling in one or both testicles
(although this is less common).

Men and women can also get infected with chlamydia in their
rectum, either by having receptive anal sex, or by spread from
another infected site (such as the vagina). While these
infections often cause no symptoms, they can cause
Rectal pain;
Discharge;
Bleeding.

You should be examined by your doctor if you notice any of

these symptoms or if your partner has an STD or symptoms
of an STD, such as an unusual sore, a smelly discharge,
burning when urinating, or bleeding between periods.

How will my doctor know if I have chlamydia?

Culture is an older and more time-consuming
method of identifying the bacteria and is no longer
routinely used. For routine diagnostic purposes,
rapid tests that identify the bacterial genetic
material are commonly used. These are referred
to as nucleic acid amplification tests, or NAATs.
The specimen for NAATs can be obtained at the
time of gynecologic examination by swabbing the
cervix, but diagnostic tests can be run on urine
samples or self-collected vaginal swabs.
Pregnant women should be tested, as wells as women over 25 who
have new or multiple sex partners.

Can chlamydia be cured?

easily cured with antibiotic therapy.
Women should abstain from sexual intercourse during the 7day course of antibiotics or for 7 days after the single dose
treatment to avoid spreading the infection to others.
Azithromycin and doxycycline are antibiotics commonly used
to treat chlamydia infection, but other antibiotics may be
successfully used as well.
Pregnant women (for example, azithromycin, amoxicillin,
and erythromycin ethylsuccinate, but not doxycycline).
Sex partners of a person diagnosed with chlamydia should
also be tested and treated if necessary, to avoid reinfection
and further spread. Women whose sex partners have not
been treated are at a high risk for developing a reinfection.

Can chlamydia be prevented?

Malecondomscan reduce the risk of
spreading or acquiring the infection.
. Having a mutually monogamous
relationship with a partner who has
beentested or treated also reduces the risk
of contracting chlamydia infection.
Abstinence

What is the prognosis for chlamydia?

Clamydia infection can progress to pelvic inflammatory disease if
untreated, which can have serious consequences.
Complications include permanent damage to the reproductive organs,
including infertility and an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy.
Chlamydia infection in pregnancy can also lead to low birth weight and
premature delivery as well as pneumonia and eye damage in the
newborn.
Having an untreated chlamydia infection can also increase a person's
risk for acquiring HIV infection.
It can also increase the risk that a person with HIV infection will transmit
the infection to others during sexual intercourse.

Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted

infection caused by a parasite.
Causes

calledTrichomonas vaginalis
a type of tiny parasite that travels
between people during sexual
intercourse
Women
are most often affected by this disease,
although men can become infected and pass the
infection to their partners through sexual
contact.

The incubation period between exposure and infection is

unknown, but it's thought to range from five to 28 days.

SYMPTOMS

Many women and most men with trichomoniasis have no

symptoms, at least not at first. Trichomoniasis signs and
symptoms for women include:
A profuse and often foul-smelling vaginal discharge which
may be white, gray, yellow or green
Genital redness, burning and itching
Pain with urination or sexual intercourse
Trichomoniasis rarely causes symptoms in men. When men
do have signs and symptoms, however, they may include:
Irritation inside the penis
Burning with urination or after ejaculation
Discharge from the penis

Risk factors
Multiple sexual partners
A history of other sexually transmitted
infections
A previous episode of trichomoniasis
Having sex without a condom
Complications
Pregnant women who have trichomoniasis may:
Deliver prematurely
Have a baby with a low birth weight
Transmit the infection to the baby as he or she passes through the birth
canal
Having trichomoniasis also appears to make it easier for women to
become infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

How Is Trichomoniasis Diagnosed?

To diagnose trichomoniasis, a doctor must
perform aphysical examand lab test. Lab
tests are performed on a sample of vaginal
fluid or urethral fluid to look for the diseasecausing parasite. The parasite is harder to
detect in men than in women.

How Is Trichomoniasis Treated?

Usually an oral antibiotic calledmetronidazole
(Flagyl) is given to treat trichomoniasis. It is
the only drug that should be used to treat
trichomoniasis if there is any chance that you
could bepregnant.
Your partner should also be treated at the
same time to prevent reinfection and further
spread of the disease. In addition, persons
being treated for trichomoniasis should avoid
sexuntil they and theirsexpartners complete
treatment and have no symptoms. It is
important to take all of yourantibiotics, even
if you feel better. You should get retested after
three months to be certain the infection is

Prevention
As with other sexually transmitted infections, the only way to
prevent trichomoniasis is to abstain from sex. To lower your
risk, use condoms correctly every time you have sex.

Candidiasis (Yeast Infection)

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by yeasts
calledCandida, usually Candida albicans. This
yeast is normally found in small amounts in the
human body.
Types of Candidiasis
Thrush (Oropharyngeal / Esophageal Candidiasis)
Vaginal Yeast Infections (Genital / Vulvovaginal
Candidiasis)
Invasive Candidiasis

Genital / vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC)

called a "yeast infection," and it occurs when there is
overgrowth of the normal yeast in the vagina.
This infection is relatively common -- nearly 75% of all
adult women have had at least one "yeast infection" in
their lifetime.
However, when an imbalance occurs, such as
when the normal acidity of the vagina changes or
when hormonal balance changes,Candidacan
multiply. When that happens, symptoms of
candidiasis may appear

Symptoms
extreme itching,burning sensation, and
sometimes a "cottage cheese-like"
vaginal discharge.
Soreness and redness in the vaginal area
Painful intercourse
But men can get a yeast infection, too. This
is more likely in men who are not
circumcised.
Symptoms in men include:
Redrashonpenis
Itchingor burning on the tip of the
penis

Risk & Prevention

Who Gets Genital / Vulvovaginal Candidiasis?
Nearly 75% of all adult women have had at least one "yeast
infection" in their lifetime. On rare occasions, men can also
get genital candidiasis. VVC occurs more frequently and
more severely in people with weakened immune systems.
Other conditions that may put a woman at risk for genital
candidiasis include:
Pregnancy
Diabetes
Long-term use of broad-spectrum antibiotics
Use of corticosteroid medications

How can I Prevent Genital / Vulvovaginal

Candidiasis?
Wearing cotton underwear may help to reduce
the risk of developing a yeast infection.
For women who experience recurrent yeast
infections (more than three per year), some
evidence suggests that oral or intravaginal
probiotics may help to prevent frequent infections.

Diagnosis and Testing

The symptoms of VVC are similar to those of many other

genital infections, so it can be difficult to diagnose a
yeast infection by physical examination only. Usually the
diagnosis is made by taking a sample of the vaginal
secretions and looking at the sample under a
microscope to see if an abnormal number
ofCandidaorganisms are present. A fungal culture may
not always be useful becauseCandidaspecies are
normal inhabitants of the body.

Treatment and Outcomes

How is Genital / Vulvovaginal Candidiasis
Treated?

Several different antifungal medications are available to treat

genital candidiasis. Antifungal vaginal suppositories or
creams are commonly used. The duration of the treatment
course of creams and suppositories can range from one day
to seven days of therapy. Mild or moderate infections can
sometimes be treated with a single dose of oral antifungal
medication. These types of medications usually work to cure
the infection (80% to 90% success rate), but some people
may have recurrent or resistant infections. Short-course
treatments should not be used for recurrent or resistant
infections.

How Can Someone Tell the Difference Between

a Yeast Infection and a Urinary Tract Infection?
Because yeast infections and urinary tract
infections can have similar symptoms, such as a
burning sensation when urinating, it is important to
see your doctor so that he or she can determine the
cause of the symptoms and treat them with the
correct medication.