Chlamydia - routes of infection, diagnosis and treatment of chlamydial infection in men and women
Routes of infection: forewarned is forearmed!
Both men and women are equally susceptible to the disease. It can be transmitted through any type of unprotected sexual contact: vaginal, oral, anal - any type of sex carries the same risk of infection.
Special attention should be paid to the oral route of transmission
Routes of infection: forewarned is forearmed!
Both men and women are equally susceptible to the disease. It can be transmitted through any type of unprotected sexual contact: vaginal, oral, anal - any type of sex carries the same risk of infection.
Special attention should be paid to the oral route of transmission - under the influence of saliva, the infection changes:
- does not manifest itself in the form of symptoms;
- is harder to detect diagnostically;
- is harder to treat.
This is the so-called extragenital form of chlamydia.
Chlamydia can also be transmitted through everyday contact and shared hygiene items. If the infection gets into the eyes, ophthalmochlamydia develops.
Distress signals
- Unprotected sex. If this is not your regular sexual partner and there is even the slightest reason to believe that you can become infected.
- Slight itching and discomfort in the urethra, scanty glassy mucous discharge from it.
- Plaque on the head in men.
Many patients say, "I can't figure out if I really have something or if I'm making it up." I always answer: if there is a slight feeling of unwellness, it is better to get checked!
- The optimal period for taking smears is 10-15 days.
- The incubation period is from 2 to 4-5 weeks, so accordingly, taking tests after 2-3 days is pointless.
Many patients, before going to the doctor, feeling unwell, microsymptoms, find information on the Internet and take antibiotics. Naturally, we may not see anything and either recommend observation or prescribe general preventive treatment.
Chlamydia in men
The main problem is that the infection does not manifest itself in the body: if a man is infected with chlamydia, then after a few days he develops mild itching and discomfort in the urethra. A few more days will pass and already at the appointment the patient may say: "Doctor, I was just about to come to you, and all the symptoms have gone away."
The person calms down, but in fact the infection penetrates further along the urethra into the prostate gland and into the testicles - without showing symptoms.
Therefore, usually they go to the doctor after a few weeks or months, or they may come very late and already about complications such as infertility, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, or urinary dysfunction. That is, when chlamydia has settled in the prostate gland and caused a powerful inflammatory process.
Reiter's triad
In addition to the local effect on the prostate gland, chlamydia gives a strong complication to the musculoskeletal system - it causes infectious arthritis and more.
Such a symptom complex is called Reiter's triad:
- arthritis;
- conjunctivitis;
- urethroprostatitis.
And it often occurs in young healthy and strong men! Therefore, when competent advanced doctors - therapists, rheumatologists - accept a patient with joint pain of unclear etiology, then first of all they prescribe a study for chlamydia. And, as a rule, it is found.
In this case, properly conducted treatment of chlamydia, then an anti-inflammatory course for the rheumatic process, lead to a complete recovery.
Chlamydia in women
In both men and women, the disease causes minimal complaints. And at this time, the chlamydial infection penetrates the uterus itself through the vaginal mucosa and through the cervix, causing a strong inflammatory process in the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Adhesions, inflammation ... infertility
The most severe consequence is obstruction of the fallopian tubes, the formation of adhesions. When a woman thinks about conception, the sperm simply do not pass to their destination. Adhesions are often accompanied by inflammation and as a result it is necessary to remove one or even both fallopian tubes. The result is persistent infertility.
In addition, inflammation in the ovaries itself causes a violation of the menstrual cycle, and this is the tip of the iceberg! In fact, the production of the main hormones is disrupted: estrogen and progesterone, which leads to a general hormonal imbalance in the body.
Diagnostics and treatment of chlamydia
The gold standard is PCR, the detection of fragments of chlamydia molecules by polymerase chain reaction, their molecular identification. In addition, additional studies are needed:
- enzyme immunoassay of blood;
- less common - bacteriological culture.
Naturally, the earlier you start treating chlamydia, the better the result and the fewer inflammatory complications.
Antibacterial drugs
Usually we connect antibiotics of two groups so that if one antibiotic does not completely kill the infection, the second will definitely work.
In parallel, medications are prescribed that enhance the body's immune response so that it begins to fight on its own. Chlamydia suppresses the local immune response that the body directs to fight the infection. That is why there are no external manifestations and the disease is more resistant to therapy.
Even if the infection is properly treated, the immune response in the genitourinary system remains very low for a long time: a person becomes more susceptible to other infections and colds that can cause inflammation of the genitourinary system in addition to chlamydia. Therefore, chlamydia is considered one of the most problematic diseases in dermatovenereology and urology.
Advanced forms of chlamydia: what to do?
Today, there are enough drugs, correct proven schemes and methods that allow even the most advanced chlamydia to be cured. But everything depends on what process the patient came to the doctor with.
For example, a month before visiting the doctor, a person took tests and everything was fine. Two or three weeks before the visit, there was contact. He takes tests again - we find chlamydia and the "fresh" infection is treated quite easily. The process passes almost without a trace and no complications arise at an early stage.
An antibiotic is prescribed for 1012 days - in tablets or injections, if there is an individual reaction, the characteristics of the body. But in any case, the treatment is a maximum of 2 weeks. After 3-4 months, or even a year after the suspected infection, if a sluggish infection is complicated by hypothermia with additional pain sensations and the person tried to fight it on their own with some drugs, then the treatment requires great efforts:
- vascular and enzyme preparations are connected;
- physiotherapy procedures according to indications;
- strong antibiotics are prescribed in a higher dosage and for a longer course.
If the patient does everything correctly and the treatment regimen is selected correctly, cases of incurability are practically non-existent. Depending on the situation, more than one course of therapy can be carried out. In the practice of our clinic, 57% of patients go for a second course of treatment and these are, as a rule, cases with a long history, when all the prerequisites for a second course of treatment have been created.
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