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Chlamydia
1353 words 6 pages
Chlamydia Research from the center of disease control and prevention consistently shows Chlamydia as one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the United States. There is an estimated 4.5 million people reported each year with Chlamydia (Carol Turkiington and Bonnie Lee Ashby). Chlamydia is contracted from unprotected sex with an infected partner. Diagnosing and treating f Chlamydia is relatively easy with regular checkups to your physician. Chlamydia trachomatis, the sexually transmitted form, is often called a “silent” disease resulting from the overwhelming number of cases with no symptoms (Centers for disease control). With no signs or symptoms present, people often go years untested and untreated. When Chlamydia is left untreated it can lead to serious health problems such as infertility in men and women (Centers for disease control). The incubation period for Chlamydia varies from source to source, however it seems to range a course from 1 week up to 6 weeks. Chlamydia is highly asymptomatic with approximately 50 percent of men and 75 percent of women showing no signs (Moore). Without consideration of the undiagnosed cases research suggest that 1 in every 20 women under 35 and 1 in every 10 active teenage girls are carriers of Chlamydia (Program). Young men and women are at a much higher risk of carrying this infection, with an un-charming number of seventy-five percent of all the reported cases in the United States come from men and women under the age of twenty-five. Because there are often no symptoms, many of these cases are discovered unexpectedly during yearly exams with their primary physician. Symptoms usually arise between 1 to 3 weeks from exposure to the bacteria. Men may show signs of Chlamydia with small amounts of clear or cloudy discharge from the tip of the penis. They may also have an itchy burning sensation around the tip of the penis and swelling around the testicles. Women sometimes have a vaginal discharge with an odor or pain during intercourse or urination. A fever with lower back pain, abdominal pain, and bleeding between periods is not uncommon in women showing signs and symptoms of Chlamydia. Chlamydia is a unique STD due to the fact that it responds to antibiotics like a bacterium but also needs a host like a virus; however, it is classified as bacteria. Chlamydia has two life cycles; it starts out as bacteria not able to synthesis its own adenosine triphosphate (ATP) requiring the bacteria to use a host cell to replicate (Program). The infectious portion of bacterium is called the elementary body which bonds to columnar epithelial cells (Program). The non- infectious agent of Chlamydia is reticular bodies (RB’s) which use the hosts ATP to duplicate and reorganize the elementary bodies. This process causes death of host cell while the new EB’s are released and the two-process life cycle is repeated. Chlamydia can cause lifelong and irreversible damage to the reproductive system when left untreated. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is often seen in women with this infection because Chlamydia bacterium attacks the cells of the cervix. Left untreated the infection can spread from the cervix to the fallopian tubes, uterus, and sometimes the bladder, leading to PID and cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) of the reproductive system and urinary system. Chronic PID can lead to serious pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and even infertility. In fact, one of the leading causes of infertility in women is Chlamydia trachomatis (Medscape). Left untreated in men, Chlamydia can cause prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate), scar damage to the urethra and epidymis, and ultimately lead to infertility. This infection does not only affect the reproductive system. In both men and women Chlamydia can cause Reiter’s syndrome, proctitis, and an infection to the throat. Oral sex with an infected partner is the cause of the oral infection of Chlamydia. The symptoms are usually limited to a sore throat however, treatment is necessary so to prevent further damage to those cells. Reiter’s is a syndrome that cause’s arthritis, urethritis, conjunctivitis, and skin sores. Reiter’s syndrome often accompanies infections that result in inflammation to the reproductive and urinary system (The HealthCentralNetwork). Proctitis is inflammation to the lining of the rectum caused by anal intercourse with a partner that is infected with Chlamydia (Services). Chlamydia is diagnosed from a sample of urine or body fluids from the infected site. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) are one method of testing for this infection. NAAT is a very accurate test using the genetic makeup from a sample of fluid from an infected person. Nucleric acid hybridization test is another very accurate test able to find the DNA of Chlamydia. A quick, but less accurate lab test is an Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EIA). When a positive result is found with this test a second test is necessary to confirm no false-positive was made. Like the latter screenings direct fluorescent antibody test (DFA) comes directly from the fluid where Chlamydia lives. A swab is taken and viewed under a microscope. A staining over the sample will bind to the elementary bodies of Chlamydia making this test optimal in detecting the disease. Lastly, a culture test can be done to test for the infection. This type of test takes about a week and must be done in a lab causing it to be the least cost effective screening for this infection. No evidence supports ultrasound to be a single effective test to diagnose Chlamydia. Ultrasound diagnostics have been a useful aid in the diagnosing conditions caused by and/or linked to Chlamydia. Pelvic inflammatory disease seems to present itself in cases of Chlamydia trachomatis which can be detected sonographically. Ultrasound can provide evidence of the severity of damage the infections has caused to the reproductive system. Studies show that Chlamydia is linked to low-birth weight and premature delivery. Doctors suggest all pregnant women be tested for Chlamydia in the first trimester and again in the third trimester. Chlamydia can be passed from mother to baby during delivery causing conjunctivitis, an eye infection that can lead to blindness, respiratory problems, and pneumonia. An antibiotic can treat the pregnant mother with no evidence of harming the fetus. Pregnant mothers who are treated for the infection should be re-tested several times before the final weeks of pregnancy (Centers for disease control). Treatment for Chlamydia is fairly easy once detected. Patients are placed on an antibiotic regiment ranging from a single dose to seven days. There are multiple antibiotics effective in treating the infection. Azithromycin, a single dose oral antibiotic, has been proven to be very effective with a 97% cure rate. This antibiotic has shown to be safe for pregnant women and is commonly the drug of choice; however, it is much more expensive than an equally effective antibiotic. Doxycycline appears to be just as effective at curing the infection. It is an oral pill taken twice a day for 7 days. Doxycycline must be taken for a longer time than azithromycin but it is significantly lower in price. Antibiotics can cure Chlamydia giving a positive prognosis for the patient if the infection is treated early. In conclusion, Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection that can cause serious health problems when left untreated. The overwhelming number of reported cases each year is astounding given the fact it is relatively easy to diagnosis and treat. Not only is Chlamydia easy to diagnosis and treat, it is also easily prevented. Condoms are the most effective way to prevent infection while sexually active. Special attention should be given toward adolescents and young adults given the high rate of infected. Many young men and women become infertile to this infection simply because they did not know they had it. With more education to our youth this disease could be diminished to a more manageable number in the United States. Works Cited Carol Turkiington and Bonnie Lee Ashby, M.D. The Encyclopedia of Infectious Diseases, Second Edition. n.d. Centers for disease control. 20 December 2007 . 20 December 2007 . Medscape. eMedicine . 1994-2010 . Moore, Elaine A. Moore with Lisa Maria. “Encyclopedia of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.” Moore, Elaine A. Moore with Maria. Encyclopedia of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. n.d. 74. Program, Family Planning. NM Department of Health Family Planning. 20 July 2007 . Services, US Department of Health & Human. National women’s health information center. 20 March 2009. . The HealthCentralNetwork, Inc. Health Scout. 1 April 2009. .
