Signs and symptoms

• Many people do not have symptoms.
• If symptoms occur, they usually appear 1-3 weeks after exposure
• Abnormal discharge from penis or vagina
• Burning or pain while peeing
• Irritation around anus
• Painful or swollen testicles
• Bleeding between menstrual periods
• Painful intercourse (women)
• Lower abdominal or back pain (women)

Transmission

• Oral, anal or vaginal sex
• Infected mother to baby at vaginal birth

Prevention

• Use condoms/barriers consistently and correctly for oral, anal or vaginal sex
• Maintain a mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and/or treated for STDs
• Get tested regularly and treated for STDs
• Get an infected partner treated
• Do not have sex with a partner who has chlamydia until 1week after they have completed treatment and no longer have symptoms

Treatment

• See a health care provider for exam and tests to figure out the best treatment.
• Treatment is medicine (antibiotics) prescribed by a health care provider
• If pregnant, get a follow-up exam to make sure the treatment worked

If not treated

• Can increase risk for getting or spreading HIV
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (women)
• Infertility (women)
• Ectopic (tubal) pregnancy
• Chronic pelvic pain
• During pregnancy:
  • Premature delivery
  • Low birth weight in newborns
  • Eye and respiratory tract infections in newborns

Help stop the spread of chlamydia

• Refrain from oral, anal or vaginal sex if you have symptoms
• Seek medical care, including STD tests
• Do not have sex until 7 days after you have completed treatment
• Take all medicines prescribed, even if your symptoms are gone
• Re-test in 3 months
• Make sure sex partners get treated
• Get yearly STD screens if sexually active
• If you are pregnant, get tested for STDs and HIV