What Is Chlamydia?

	Home – What is it
	How do you get it
	Chlamydia Symptoms
	What does it do to you?
	Test and Treatment
	Preventing Chlamydia
	History of Chlamydia
	References

What is Chlamydia?

Chlamydia (pronounced klah-MIH-dee-ah) is a bacterial infection that is sexually transmitted. This means that you get it from someone who already has the infection when you have unprotected sex with them.

See “How do I get chlamydia”

There are a number of bacteria called ‘chlamydia’. The sexually transmitted form of chlamydia is called ‘chlamydia trachomatis’.

Chlamydia can infect the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, urethra, rectum, testes, scrotum and, less commonly, the throat.

See “Chlamydia Symptoms”

Foot Notes:

1. Illinois Department of Public Health Healthbeat
2. Ibid
3. Victoria State Government Department of Human Services
4. Victorian Government Health Information

Interesting Facts:

Infected individuals have a 3 to 5 fold increase in the risk of acquiring HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) if exposed to the HIV virus during sexual intercourse. Footnote (1)
In the US, chlamydia affects 13 million men and women annually. Among the more than 20 STI’s (sexually transmitted infections) that have now been identified, chlamydia is now the most frequently reported with an estimated 4 million new cases each year. (2)
In Australia, direct costs of infection,( for example diagnosis and treatment of the acute disease) have been estimated at between $90 million and $160 million annually. (3)
In Australia 24,045 cases of Chlamydia where reported in Doctors must notify the government of all chlamydia infections diagnosed. The information the government requires includes:

- The patient’s name code (first 2 letters of surname and first 2 letters of first name)
- Patient’s date of birth and post code.
- The referring doctors contact details.
- Clinical comments including risk factors.
- Date of onset of illness if known.(4)

(Sexually Transmissible infections in the Australian National Centre in HIV epidemiology and clinical research 2003.)

disclaimer | contact | site by neopurple