Chlamydia is an infection by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis). Chlamydia infection can affect several organs, including the penis, vagina, ...EverythingyouneedtoknowaboutchlamydiaMedicallyreviewedbyValindaRigginsNwadike,MD,MPH—WrittenbyLoriSmith,MSN,BSN,WHNP-BC—UpdatedonMay4,2020SymptomsTreatmentDiagnosisCausesHowdoesitspread?PreventionComplicationsTakeawayWeincludeproductswethinkareusefulforourreaders.Ifyoubuythroughlinksonthispage,wemayearnasmallcommission.Here’sourprocess.Chlamydiaisasexuallytransmittedbacterialinfection.Itaffectsbothmalesandfemaleswhocontractitduringsexualcontact.AccordingtotheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC),therewerearound1.8millioncasesofchlamydiaintheUnitedStatesin2018.Itisthemostcommonsexuallytransmittedinfection(STI)intheU.S.Chlamydiaoftenproducesnosymptoms,butitcanleadtofertilityproblems.However,effectivetreatmentisavailable.Inthisarticle,wewilldiscussthesymptoms,causes,diagnosis,andtreatmentofchlamydia.SymptomsShareonPinterestApersonwithchlamydiamayshownosymptoms.Mostpeoplewithchlamydiadonotnoticeanysymptoms.AccordingtoresearchcitedbytheCDC,onlyaround10%ofmalesand5–30%offemalesexperiencesymptoms.Itisalsounclearhowlongittakesforsymptomstoappear,butitmaybeseveralweeks.InfemalesInfemales,symptomsofchlamydiamayinclude:adischargefromthecervixeasybleedingfrequentorpainfulurinationIfchlamydiaspreadstotheuterusandthefallopiantubes,itcanresultinpelvicinflammatorydisease(PID).This,too,maynotproducesymptoms.However,itcanaffectfertility.InmalesInmales,symptomsmayincludepain,tenderness,andswellinginthetesticlesortheurethra,thetubethatcarriesurine.MalesandfemalesBothmalesandfemalesmaydevelopsymptomsintherectumandanus.Theviruscaninfecttheseareasduringanalsexorbyspreadingfromthereproductiveorgans.Symptomsinclude:rectalpainrectaldischargeorbleedingContactwithinfectedsecretionscanalsoleadtochlamydialconjunctivitis(pinkeye).Laboratorytestshavefoundchlamydiainthethroatofpeoplewhohavehadoralsexwithsomeonewhohastheinfection.Howeve