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Chlamydial Infection October
2000 What Can Happen if the Infection is Not Treated? In women, untreated chlamydial infections can lead to PID. In men,
untreated chlamydial infections may lead to pain or swelling in the
scrotal area, which is a sign of inflammation of a part of the male
reproductive system located near the testicles known as the epididymis.
Left untreated, these complications can prevent people from having
children. Each year up to 1 million women in the United States develop PID,
a serious infection of the reproductive organs. As many as half of
all cases of PID may be due to chlamydial infection, and many of these
don't have symptoms. PID can cause scarring of the fallopian tubes,
which can block the tubes and prevent fertilization from taking place.
Researchers estimate that 100,000 women each year become infertile
because of PID. In other cases, scarring may interfere with the passage of the fertilized
egg to the uterus during pregnancy. When this happens, the egg may
attach itself to the fallopian tube. This is called ectopic or tubal
pregnancy. This very serious condition results in a miscarriage and
can cause death of the mother. Can Chlamydial Infection Affect a Newborn Baby? A baby who is exposed to C. trachomatis in the birth canal
during delivery may develop an eye infection or pneumonia. Symptoms
of conjunctivitis or "pink eye," which include discharge and swollen
eyelids, usually develop within the first 10 days of life. Symptoms of pneumonia, including a cough that gets steadily worse
and congestion, most often develop within three to six weeks of birth.
Doctors can treat both conditions successfully with antibiotics. Because
of these risks to the newborn, many doctors recommend that all pregnant
women get tested for chlamydial infection. How Can I Prevent Getting Chlamydial Infection? You can reduce your chances of getting chlamydia or of giving it
to your partner by using male latex condoms correctly every time you
have sexual intercourse. If you are infected but have no symptoms, you may pass the bacteria
to your sex partners without knowing it. Therefore, any doctors recommend
that anyone who has more than one sex partner, especially women under
25 years of age, be tested for chlamydial infection regularly, even
if they don't have symptoms. What Research is Going On? Scientists are looking for better ways to diagnose, treat, and prevent
chlamydial infections. NIAID-supported scientists recently completed
sequencing the genome for C. trachomatis. The sequence represents
an encyclopedia of information about the organism. This accomplishment
will give scientists important information as they try to develop
a safe and effective vaccine. Developing topical microbicides (preparations
that can be inserted into the vagina to prevent infection) that are
effective and easy for women to use is also a major research focus.
For More Information About Chlamydial Infection Contact: CDC National Prevention Information Network American Social Health Association NIAID, a component
of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supports basic and applied
research to prevent, diagnose and treat infectious and immune-mediated
illnesses, including HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases,
tuberculosis, malaria, autoimmune disorders, asthma and allergies.
Prepared by: Office of Communications and Public Liaison National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institutes
of Health Bethesda, MD 20892 Public Health Service U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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