Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by an organism known as Chlamydia trachomatis. It may be transmitted from person to person during sexual intercourse. This occurs when a person's mucous membranes (areas of the human body that line the nose, lips, genitalia, ears and anus) come into contact with the vaginal secretions or semen of person infected with Chlamydia. Chlamydia infection can be cured with appropriate antibiotics.

What are the symptoms of a Chlamydia infection?

Many people chlamydia infection never have any symptoms at all.

80% of infected women have no symptoms. Symptoms in women may include pain and itching of the vulva or vagina, vaginal discharge, vaginal or anal bleeding, painful urination and/or pain with intercourse. 

50% of infected men have no symptoms. Men may experience discharge from the penis or the anus, pain or itching at the head of the penis, and/or painful urination. 

What problems can be caused by Chlamydia infection?

Infection with chlamydia can lead to sterility. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a common result of chlamydia infection left untreated.

In men, if untreated, chlamydial infections can result in inflammation of the prostate gland, epididymitis, urethral scarring and infertility.

Patients infected with Chlamydia are more susceptible to other STD'd including HIV. .

How does one test for Chlamydia?

As for all STD's a thorough examination for chlamydia includes taking a sexual history, having an examination by a qualified professional and either testing a sample of your genital secretions with a swab or performing tests on a urine sample.

Chlamydia infection can be treated and cured with appropriate antibiotics. Sexual partners must be examined and receive treatment or you may become reinfected and others may be infected as well. You should abstain from sexual activity while you are taking the antibiotics. It is important you be retested after treatment as well to be certain the infection has been eradicated.

Syphilis is an STD caused by an organism known as Treponema Pallidum. It can be spread from one person to another by vaginal, anal or oral sex.

What problems can be caused by syphilis infection?

If syphilis is not treated it can cause damage to many organs including the brain and may even result in death. If one is infected with syphilis it makes it easier to give and get.

There are three separate stages of syphilis. With primary syphilis symptoms begin 2 to 12 weeks after infection. The first symptom is usually a painless skin sore known as a chancre. Sometimes they are not seen because they are in the vagina or anus. Secondary stage of syphilis that shows 4 to 12 weeks after infection may result in skin rash, swollen glands, fever, hair loss, fatigue, headache, weight loss, warts or white patches on mucus membranes. These symptoms usually last 1 to 3 months. Tertiary syphilis occurs from one to 50 years after infection and can cause severe organ damage usually involving the brain, liver and bones resulting in paralysis, mental problems, blindness, heart disease, loss of hearing and death.

As for all STD's a thorough examination for syphilis includes taking a sexual history, having an examination by a qualified professional and either testing a blood sample or sometimes the sore of primary syphilis can be tested with a special microscope examination of a specimen.

Syphilis infection can be treated and cured with appropriate antibiotics. Sexual partners must be examined and receive treatment or you may become reinfected and others may be infected as well. You should abstain from sexual activity while you are taking the antibiotics. It is important you be retested after treatment as well to be certain the infection has been eradicated. Repeat blood tests on several occasions may be recommended.