What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia (klah-MIH-dee-ah) is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection in the U.S. Its full name is chlamydia trachomatis (trah-ko-MAH-tis). It is a kind of bacteria that can infect the penis, vagina, cervix, anus, urethra, or eye.
Chlamydia is the name of several types of bacteria. Chlamydia trachoma, for example, has been a major cause of blindness for centuries. Chlamydia trachomatis is sexually transmitted. One strain occurs primarily in the tropics and causes lymphogranuloma venereum -- symptoms include skin lesions and swelling of certain glands in the genital area. The other, we simply call "chlamydia," a very common infection in the U.S.
What are the symptoms of chlamydia?
Usually, chlamydia has no symptoms. Up to 85 percent of women and 40 percent of men with chlamydia have no symptoms. Most people are not aware that they have the infection.
When symptoms do occur, they may begin in as little as 5-10 days after infection.
…
