Chlamydia trachomatis is a bacterial infection that most commonly occurs on the genitals, although it can also be contracted in the eye, throat, or rectum. Like most bacteria, chlamydia lives off the cells of the host it inhabits, although unlike many bacterias, it is found only in humans.
Chlamydia is contracted in several ways. Generally, it is passed by contact with a person who has already developed the infection, regardless of whether or not symptoms are active. This lack of symptoms is part of what makes chlamydia the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI)—infected people sometimes unwittingly pass it on to others.
Genital and Throat Infection
Chlamydia of the genitals is passed through sexual contact, whether the participants engage in vaginal or anal sex. While common symptoms include uncomfortable urination, abnormal discharge, and potentially painful swelling of the cervix or back of the testicles, it can also cause diarrhea and discomfort of the rectum. Chlamydia of the throat develops in a similar fashion. If a person with chlamydia receives oral sex, the infection can be passed that way, resulting in a fever, cough, or difficulty swallowing. Likewise, it is possible, although rare, that someone with chlamydia of the throat could give oral sex along with genital chlamydia.
Eye Infection
When chlamydia develops in the eye, it is known as “chlamydia conjunctivitis." It's commonly referred to as “pink eye,” but please note, that this is a general term for a bacterial infection of the eye, and these are not solely chlamydial in origin. The inside of the eyelids become rough, causing pain and damage to the corneas, which can eventually result in blindness. Although approximately eighty million people worldwide are infected, it is more common in underdeveloped areas, as unsanitary living conditions and lack of access to clean water or toilets increase the chances of infection.
Risk Factors
Although all forms of chlamydia are easily curable through antibiotics, it is important to remember that symptoms do not always appear. It is imperative for those who are at a high risk of contracting it to remember this. People more likely to develop it would do well to be screened regularly to prevent long term effects as well as to avoid passing it on to others.
According to experts, people under the age of 25 are the most likely to develop it. Possibly this is because young adults are more commonly sexually active with more than one person than older age groups. Children are more likely to pick up chlamydia of the eye, most likely because they tend to be less hygienic than adults. People with the highest risk of contracting genital or throat chlamydia are sexually active with more than one person and fail to use condoms. Women are more at risk than men because the vagina provides a warm, moist environment conducive to the growth of bacteria. If you are having intercourse with more than one person, a condom is the most effective defense against chlamydia.
