What is Chlamydia infection

  The detection rate of chlamydia is the highest among STDs in the daily practice of gynecology clinics. I have seen many patients with chlamydia, and they behave in a similar way when they get the laboratory test. Whether the disease can be cured, whether it will affect future fertility or life, how to avoid recurrence and prevention in the future. In these two types of problems, doctors and patients spend a lot of time.  The doctor, about this type of common pathogenic infections, based on the etiology of the study is not so exhaustive, not all patients may have a history of unclean sexual intercourse, it is really difficult to determine the specific cause of each patient’s illness, the only platform to explain to patients the specifics of this pathogenic infections, to instill some basic general medical knowledge, save some patients to consult with the time used in such treatment.  Infection route: Chlamydia: Chlamydia is a long-term survival in the human body and widely spread pathogens, is a conditional pathogenic bacteria. It can cause cervical infections, premature birth, miscarriage and urethral infections and other diseases under certain conditions, especially when co-infected with other pathogens such as gonococcus and other complications, the development of disease and cause other complications in the asymptomatic cervix and male and female urinary system often have the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis, the detection rate varies. Therefore, the absence of chlamydia in the urology department of some patients’ sexual partners means that there is no possibility of infection, only that the detection rate varies by gender. The mode of infection is mainly sexual contact transmission, followed by indirect transmission by hand, eye or patient contaminated clothing, equipment and other objects. There are many types of chlamydia, and different chlamydia can cause ocular, genitourinary, respiratory, neurological, joint, placental, and systemic infections in humans, birds, and mammals (e.g., domestic animals, rodents). The major pathogens causing Chlamydia in humans are Chlamydia trachomatis-inclusion conjunctivitis, Chlamydia phalloides lymphogranuloma and Chlamydia psittaci. In addition to the more common trachoma caused by Chlamydia trachomatis in China, other chlamydial infections are less common. However, the possibility of contracting the disease through contact with birds and mammals cannot be ignored.  Chlamydia trachomatis develops and multiplies in infected cells, forming various types of inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm, and only infects mucosal epithelial cells, without invading subepithelial tissues. It is mainly a genitourinary tract infection. It is usually transmitted sexually. There are non-gonococcal urethritis, prostatitis, epididymitis, cervicitis, endometritis, tubitis, etc. Inflammation of the reproductive tract caused by Chlamydia is associated with infertility. About 3/4 of patients are asymptomatic and easily overlooked, thus failing to diagnose and treat the infection early, allowing the infection to persist and spread over time, even leading to ruinous sequelae such as ectopic pregnancy or infertility. In addition, it can also cause Wright’s syndrome (urethritis-arthritis-conjunctivitis syndrome), etc. ④Chlamydia neonatorum infection. In addition to inclusion body conjunctivitis, there are also pneumonia, otitis media, rhinitis, and vaginitis in female infants. Therefore, the infected patient must be treated and cured before making appropriate health isolation with children or sexual partners at home (can be isolated through the infection route).  Symptoms: Chlamydial urethritis in men, also known as non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU). It is a non-acute purulent inflammatory lesion of the urethral mucosa caused by chlamydial infection. The incubation period of the disease is longer than that of gonorrhea, about 1-3 weeks or several months, mainly manifested as discomfort, stinging and burning sensation in the urethra, and accompanied by varying degrees of urinary frequency, urinary urgency and pain, urinary pain is less than gonorrhea. The urethral orifice is mildly red and swollen and there is plasma or mucopurulent discharge, which is thin and small in amount.   Chlamydia trachomatis infection is easily complicated by epididymitis, manifested by swelling, hardening and tenderness of the epididymis, mostly unilateral, and some patients have elevated anti-chlamydia antibodies. Sexual dysfunction may be present, and the prostate may be palpable on rectal microscopy with pressure pain. If the prostate is significantly enlarged, it may compress the posterior urethra and cause thinning of the urine stream, weakness of urination, and interruption of the urine stream.  Chlamydia infections of the female genital system are not limited to the urethra, but can involve the entire genitourinary organs in addition to frequent and painful urination. These infections are often neglected due to the lack of conscious symptoms or mild symptoms, causing the spread of the infection and creating harm. Chlamydia infection in women causes more symptoms than infection in men, and its main site of infection is the cervix, and its sequelae mostly lead to infertility.  Treatment: Chlamydia residing in the human body is mostly non-pathogenic or conditionally pathogenic bacteria, some participate in the composition of the normal human flora, often with mycoplasma at the same time, should pay attention to mycoplasma infection for qualitative, quantitative and localization analysis, prenatal examination, gynecological and urological examination should be added to check chlamydia, mycoplasma, pay attention to the drug sensitivity report, to provide the basis for the correct clinical selection and determine the treatment plan. At the same time, treatment of sexual partners to prevent recurrent infection and chronic prolongation. Deng Huanjing, Department of Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital, China Prefer Azithromycin 250mg once daily for 7 days, or Doxycycline 100mg twice daily for 7 days. The compound Xinomin is also effective.  In addition, in recent years the newly developed new drugs quinolones widely used in various fields of infection, in the treatment of chlamydia clinical effect is better, which commonly used drugs are OFIX, ciprofloxacin (CPFX), lomefloxacin, rifampin treatment effect is also better.  The cure rate is generally high when the drug is reviewed after 3 days of discontinuation of treatment.  Daily preventive precautions: 1. Avoid sexual intercourse until cured.  2, prohibit alcohol, do not eat spicy food, drink more water.  3, prohibit public towels, bathing utensils; do the necessary isolation in the family, bath towels, washbasin, bathtub, commode, etc. are used separately, or disinfected after use.  4, found positive to give treatment, spouses or sexual partners should go to the hospital for examination and treatment.  5. Pay attention to safe sex in the future, and use condoms correctly when at high risk.  6.Reduce contact with birds and mammals (such as domestic animals, rodents), especially for imported birds.