aboutsexuallytransmitteddiseases.com

There’s no question as to the fact that sexually-transmitted diseases are on the rise with many cases being reported among teenagers. These diseases which range from the very serious to the not-so-serious have the potential to cause serious health complications and even death. One of the most overlooked sexual disease is chlamydia, which in the US afflicts over 1 million people annually. The rapid spread of Chlamydia has been attributed to the fact that the disease can lay dormant and without symptoms.

Effects

Chlamydia, which is one of the most overlooked sexually-transmitted disease, can have serious ramifications to one’s overall health. In many cases, the sufferer will not even know they have the disease and this is what helps the disease spread so rapidly. It is said that over 75% of the women who have this malady do not even know it and there are no outward signs signaling the presence of the disease. That is why the rate of chlamydia has been on the rise for almost 10 years in a row. One of the most horrifying statistics regarding this disease is that recent research shows that sufferers are 5 times more likely to contract HIV than non-sufferers.

Another noticeable characteristic of the disease is that sufferers may notice an inflammation of the rectum, a condition clinically known as Proctitis. It is also not uncommon for people with chlamydia to find themselves with an inflamation of the cervix and even experience some vaginal discharge.

Men with chlamydia may also notice a small penile discharge which may or may not be heavy depending on the seriousness of the infection. Females may also experience a discharge accompanied by painful urination.

What is chlamydia?

Chlamydia is caused by small parasites, usually obligate intracellular, which contain some DNA, some protein strands and some nucleic acid. They also possess bacteria-like qualities such as an inner and an outer membrane. This arrangement closely resembles another virus which causes the dreaded gonorrhea disease. Gonorrhea, like chlamydia, has also been on the rise. It is therefore not uncommon to see doctors treating chlamydia patients for gonorrhea as well.

Treatment

The good news is that chalmydia is highly treatable. If detected early, it can be combated using a variety of ways one of which is antibiotics. The bad news about chlamydia is that is can stay silent and cause the person to unknowingly infect others especially if they have multiple sexual partners. Another draw back with the disease is that, contrary to popular belief that once someone has contracted it they can never get it again, chlamydia can attack again even if the person has been fully cured before.