Chlamydia how to get infected. Chlamydia: what is it, how is it transmitted and how to avoid infection. Can you get chlamydia through oral sex?
To date, chlamydia infection is a fairly common occurrence among people of reproductive age. That is why the question of how chlamydia is transmitted worries many.
Ways of transmission of infection
Doctors know several ways of infection with chlamydia. There are the following transmission routes:
- oral;
- anal-genital;
- vaginal;
- through saliva (the disease is not transmitted through the blood);
- airborne;
- contact-household.
Consider how you can get chlamydia in one case or another.
Oral
The development of oral chlamydia is caused by the pathogen entering the mucous membranes of the oral cavity. Infection occurs in the following ways:
- Contact. Chlamydia have the ability to stay outside the human body. Therefore, the use of someone else's toothbrush and other hygiene items can end in infection. Occasionally, dental procedures performed with a dirty instrument can cause infection.
- Sexual. The mode of infection is determined by the gender of the carrier. If a man is sick, the disease is transmitted to his partner during a blowjob. Representatives of the stronger sex become infected with cunnilingus (the probability of infection in this case is minimal).
- Contact household. Transmission of the disease is also possible through contact with the patient's body fluids, such as sputum or vaginal discharge. This can happen when sharing clothing or bath accessories.
- From mother to fetus (during pregnancy) or newborn. The transmission of chlamydia occurs in utero or when the child passes through the genital tract. In both cases, this is fraught with serious complications for the baby.
In 90% of cases, the disease develops due to unprotected intercourse.
Moreover, as a rule, women aged 26-40 years and men aged 19-30 years are infected, which is caused by their increased sexual activity.
anal-genital
Anal sex without a condom significantly increases the risk of developing various diseases, including. The entrance gate for the penetration of the pathogen in this case are microscopic damage to the mucous membrane of the rectum.
Infection in such situations, as a rule, is exposed to a partner or a passive sexual partner, and it itself ends with chlamydial proctitis, accompanied by pain in the intestines, itching and discharge from the rectum. These symptoms are mild and disappear a few weeks after the onset without any treatment (the disease becomes chronic, and after years it manifests itself as a lesion of internal organs and systems).
Vaginal
The main route of transmission of chlamydia is unprotected sexual contact. The fair sex get sick more often than men due to the fact that in their reproductive system there is more columnar epithelium required for chlamydia to reproduce.
To get into the body, the pathogen needs contact with the mucous membranes. This condition is met during sex without condoms.
Hit in female body seminal fluid of an infected partner accelerates the spread of infection in the body. A similar effect is exerted by:
- intrauterine device;
- operations on the organs of the genitourinary system.
Attention! The main way to avoid vaginal infection with chlamydia is to use condoms.
Through saliva
The possibility of infection through the saliva of an infected person is negligible and for the most part refers not to household infection, but to infection during oral sex.
This fact is explained by the fact that saliva is an environment unfavorable for the reproduction of chlamydia, and therefore, their number in it is minimal. This also applies to oral chlamydia - the excretory ducts of the salivary glands are located much higher than the pharynx, in which microorganisms multiply.
Infection in this case occurs in the presence of three factors:
- infectious process in oral cavity carrier;
- high concentration of the pathogen in saliva;
- decrease in the immunity of a healthy person.
However, due to the fact that such coincidences almost never occur, it is almost impossible to get sick when kissing or using shared dishes.
Airborne
Chlamydia, transmitted by airborne droplets, is a fairly common phenomenon. In the vast majority of cases, the disease develops against the background of infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae (less often - Ch. psittaci, Ch. felis, transmitted from representatives of the bird and animal world).
The causative agent of urogenital chlamydia generally does not cause respiratory pathologies. The exception is cases of infection of newborns when passing through the birth canal. Signs of infection are respiratory diseases that have a severe course.
The mechanism of infection of chlamydia by airborne droplets is no different from the process of transmission of any other disease transmitted in a similar way. Pathogenic microorganisms are excreted from the mucous membranes of the host's respiratory tract and leave the body during sneezing and coughing (outside the host's body, they can persist for several days).
Once in the body of a healthy person, microorganisms quickly begin to multiply, which is accompanied by the development of chlamydial bronchitis and pneumonia. Infection usually occurs against the background of:
- a decrease in the immunity of a healthy person due to prolonged illness, the use of antibacterial agents, prolonged exposure to cold or direct sunlight;
- poor ventilation of the room in which the patient is located.
Contact household
Chlamydia easily settles in the body of people with weak immunity. Microorganisms have a sensitive membrane that breaks down outside human body, however, are able to survive under certain circumstances, namely: in conditions of high humidity and room temperature.
It is possible to become infected by household means through bath accessories, underwear and bed linen, napkins used by the sick person. Chlamydia in this case can get on the mucous membranes of the eyes or genital organs of a healthy person.
Precautionary measures
In order to reduce the risk of transmission of chlamydia, the following rules should be observed:
- use condoms during sex;
- have permanent sexual partners;
- undergo regular examinations by specialists;
- use personal hygiene products;
- undergo examinations when planning conception and pregnancy.
Condom use
The use of condoms is the easiest and most inexpensive way protection against the vast majority of diseases transmitted through unprotected sex. Chlamydia are unable to penetrate latex, and therefore, the effectiveness of this method is quite high. It is advisable to use the product for any sexual contact with casual partners. This is explained by the fact that chlamydia is prone to asymptomatic course - a sick person looks completely healthy and instantly infects others.
To prevent infection when using a condom, the following rules should be observed:
- Check the period during which the products can be used. All contraceptive products manufactured today have a certain expiration date. The use of "ancient" condoms does not provide 100% protection due to the fact that microscopic cracks form in the latex, allowing chlamydia to pass through.
- Properly wear the product. Unroll the condom as you pull it over the penis. After putting on, there should be no air in the tip. Otherwise, the product may break during ejaculation.
- Use protection from the beginning of intercourse. Quite often, condoms are used as a means of preventing conception, and put on only before ejaculation. However, microorganisms enter the body not with seminal fluid, but by rubbing the genitals. In this regard, infection is possible at the very beginning of intercourse.
- Wear only one condom. Paradoxically, many men believe that two condoms worn on the penis provide twice the protection against sexually transmitted diseases. However, this statement is fundamentally wrong. Such an action significantly increases the risk of the product breaking or slipping, which increases the likelihood of infection.
Regular sexual partners
Frequent change of sexual partners increases the risk of infection. According to numerous studies, the number of people of reproductive age suffering from chlamydia is 7-15%. Based on this, every tenth new partner may be a carrier of chlamydial infection. Constancy in sexual contacts allows us to speak with a high degree of confidence about the exclusion of the risk of infection through sexual contact.
Visiting medical institutions
Regular visits to the doctor allows you to identify the infection immediately after infection. Despite the fact that this measure cannot be considered a full-fledged prevention of the disease (at the time of visiting the doctor, the patient is infected), it helps to prevent the transition of the pathology into a chronic form and prevent the development of serious complications. In addition, a person with an identified illness can take steps to avoid infecting others.
hygiene products
In order to avoid infection with chlamydia through household contact, you need to pay attention to things that can lead to infection. Chlamydia are microorganisms that are not resistant to external influences, and therefore, any sources of infection are dangerous only for two to three days after the last use by a sick person.
The greatest danger is:
- bed and underwear;
- bath accessories;
- sanitary napkins.
Infection can occur in in public places- swimming pools, baths, saunas. It can be avoided by using personal hygiene products and clean linen.
Attention! Although chlamydia survives in high humidity conditions, it is impossible to get chlamydia through water.
Examination of pregnant women
Chlamydia is a huge danger to the fetus. 70% of babies born to infected mothers are diagnosed with this disease. Moreover, they can become infected both in utero and when passing through the birth canal.
In order to prevent this situation, women who are expecting a baby are prescribed a full examination, and, if necessary, appropriate treatment. Examination of pregnant women is carried out by a gynecologist. Analyzes are given before registration, in the middle of pregnancy and before childbirth - this allows you to avoid problems associated with bearing a child and his health in the future.
Common question. Let's look into it in more detail.
Chlamydia is a group of infectious diseases caused by microbes of the genus Chlamydia. Their specific type - Chlamydia trachomatis - affects nervous system women and men, causing them to have urogenital chlamydia, an infectious disease that spreads through sexual contact. Everyone should know the ways of infection with chlamydia.
Characteristic
Chlamydia is an infectious disease that is transmitted sexually. It's called chlamydia. This is one of the most common pathologies transmitted through an intimate relationship. One hundred million people are infected with this infection every year, while the number of those infected with chlamydia is about a billion. Every year the number of victims of the disease increases, due to the absence of its specific symptoms, which are initial stage do not appear. Many people wonder if chlamydia is transmitted through a kiss. This is possible if you kiss immediately after oral sex.
Chlamydia
Methods of infection
Infection with such an infection occurs sexually, but, unlike gonorrhea, when an infected partner can infect three out of four partners, one partner out of the same number becomes infected with chlamydia. Women are the most susceptible to this pathology.
The main route of infection with chlamydia is through anal or vaginal sex. The duration of the incubation period of this disease can vary from two weeks to a month. A child can also be infected during passage through the birth canal if the woman is sick. There is a possibility of infection and contact-household way. In accordance with the analyzes carried out, chlamydia can persist on household items or tissues for up to two days at a temperature of 19-20 degrees Celsius. How chlamydia is transmitted, you can check with your doctor.
2 shapes
In chlamydia, there are two forms of residence in the human body: as infectious bodies inside the cell, and outside the cell. They are in many ways similar to a virus, they also depend on cellular energy and nutrients present in organs and tissues. They are similar to bacteria in that they reproduce by division and contain RNA and DNA.
Consider the symptoms of chlamydia.
The main manifestations in women
Chlamydia often occurs either completely without symptoms, or they do not get a vivid expression. There are specific manifestations that are characteristic of men, and those that occur in women. So how does chlamydia manifest itself?
Patients suffering from chlamydia, in some cases complain of the appearance of mucopurulent or mucous discharge from the vagina. They have a purulent yellowish color and an unpleasant odor. In some cases, there are pains in the area of the external and internal genital organs, and at the same time, they may increase before the onset of menstruation. Often patients complain of itching and burning of the external genitalia. In some cases, women experience pain during urination, sometimes they are worried about bleeding between critical days. Often there are signs of general intoxication, expressed in an increase in body temperature up to 37.5 degrees and general weakness.
Following are the symptoms of chlamydia in men.
Characteristic signs in men
In men with chlamydia, at the beginning of the disease, the urethra, the urethra, becomes inflamed. Often the representatives of the stronger sex are disturbed by slight vitreous discharge from the urination canal. In addition, itching, burning and pain appear. As in women, the temperature may rise slightly, there is general weakness. Some men complain about bloody issues during ejaculation, and also at the end of urination. Often a person can be a carrier of an infection if microcolonies of chlamydia remain on his mucous membranes, the detection of which is possible only during the implementation of high-precision research methods. This situation may be due to the fact that the human immune system inhibits the reproduction of these microorganisms.
Can you get chlamydia through a condom? If it is used correctly, then infection is impossible.
Diagnostic methods
In many gynecological departments and public clinics, a swab is taken from the cervix, vagina, and external opening of the urination canal, all at once. In men, a swab is taken from the urethra and then analyzed. But the accuracy of such a study is 15%.
It is recommended to use such a diagnostic method as RIF - immunofluorescence reaction. At this method a study of the material taken from the urethra or cervical canal is carried out, and analysis is carried out under a fluorescent microscope. Chlamydia give out their presence by glowing in the microscope lens. The RIF study provides an accuracy of up to 50%. But it will be useful only when the disease is already in its most active stage.
The most accurate method for detecting the presence of chlamydia is the polymerase chain reaction, or PCR. The accuracy of this method reaches one hundred percent.
What causes chlamydia, now we know.
Treatment
Currently, there are many different safe and effective antibiotics that make it possible to reduce the duration of therapy to 2-3 weeks, which is significantly different from the previous period of two months.
To cure chlamydia in women, it is necessary to use such medicines, which have the ability to get inside the cells, for example, macrolides. These drugs include Erythromycin and Oleandomycin. At this stage, new generation drugs are used that do not differ in their spectrum of influence from the well-known to many "Erythromycin". New drugs at the same time are characterized by improved pharmacokinetics and high level security. The means prescribed for the implementation of the course of treatment for chlamydia are "Azithromycin" and "Doxycycline".
In addition to the mandatory appointment of antibiotics to the patient, antifungal drugs, for example, Fluconazole, and agents that have an immunomodulatory effect are used for treatment. If men have strong discharge from the urination canal, antimicrobial drugs are prescribed.
During treatment, partners should limit sexual intercourse or use condoms. In addition, the consumption of dairy products and alcoholic beverages is excluded.
Curability studies
In order to establish microbiological and clinical criteria showing curability, the following studies are being carried out.
- An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is mandatory, which detects the presence of antibodies in the blood to chlamydia - IgM, IgA, IgG. In this case, the blood is examined for the content of immunoglobulin A, that is, IgA. Similar antibodies are produced in the human body as a response to infection. Such a study should be carried out one and a half or two months after the patient has been cured. If he recovered, the antibodies would not be detected.
- The next study required for the analysis of curability is the polymer chain reaction, or PCR method. This method is the most specific and sensitive for determining the presence of chlamydia in the human body. It is also the most preferred in the diagnosis.
Alternative methods can be used in combination with drug treatment under the supervision of a doctor. They are able to increase the effectiveness of traditional therapy and lead to a stable positive result.
An infusion of parsley stems improves blood flow in the tissues and has an antibacterial effect. 45 grams of finely chopped greens are poured with half a liter of boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Then filter and drink 2 tablespoons 3 times a day for 2 weeks.
Herbal collection from the root of wheatgrass, calamus, bergenia (20 g each) is also used. Add elecampane and licorice root (30 g), rhizomes of aralia and pink radiola (10 g), red rowan fruits (40 g). The mixture is poured into a thermos for 1 liter. The raw material is poured with boiling water, hermetically sealed and left overnight. Strained infusion is drunk a day between meals daily for 15 days.
Bird cherry fruits, wormwood seeds, yarrow grass, St. John's wort, celandine and dry leaves walnut also very healing. 35 g of the collection is poured into 0.5 l of boiling water and heated in a water bath. After half an hour, the broth is removed from the stove, cooled and filtered from the dry residue. Drink infusion before meals up to five times a day. It will take several weeks of courses.
Prevention of chlamydia
The main preventive measures to avoid chlamydia are the exclusion of fleeting sexual intercourse, as well as the use of protective equipment, that is, condoms. But even this does not become a 100% guarantee that protects against infection. If a suspicious contact has occurred, you should not just wait for the first symptoms of chlamydia to appear. For several hours after an intimate relationship, it is possible to disinfect the genital organs and areas adjacent to them with the latest antiseptic - Miramistin. Of course, it is much better to try to prevent the disease than to treat it after infection.
We looked at how chlamydia is transmitted.
The bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is not very well adapted to environmental conditions. However, it can retain the potential for infection for several days even outside the body. This feature of the bacterium makes it possible to become infected with chlamydia through the contact-household route.
Survival of chlamydia in the environment depends on the subspecies of the bacterium, the time of year, and many other factors. On average, they can lead to infection 24 to 48 hours after contact with household items. The maximum possible period is 5 days. After that, chlamydia die and do not pose a threat of infection.
In general, in everyday life, chlamydia can be transmitted with the following items:
- towels;
- sanitary napkins;
- washcloths;
- other personal hygiene products;
- bed sheets;
- underwear.
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease. Refers to intracellular infections, which makes the diagnosis and treatment of the disease complicated. The main route of transmission is unprotected sexual intercourse. An infected pregnant woman can pass the infection to her baby. This pathology requires complex and long-term treatment with toxic drugs. The infection can affect any organs and systems, causing serious negative consequences for the body.
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Description of the disease
Chlamydia is a disease of an infectious nature, the causative agent of which is chlamydia (a special type is chlamydia trachomatis). It affects the genitourinary system, provoking the development of the urogenital form.
More than 100 million people are infected every year. It is considered one of the most common among the diseases that are sexually transmitted. The causative agents are larger than the virus, but smaller than bacteria, which determines their prevalence, as well as the complexity of diagnosis and treatment.
The main way of infection is. Chlamydia is transmitted through both vaginal and oral and anal contact. After penetration into the human body, microorganisms spread through the blood and lymph flow to all organs and systems.
Chlamydia provokes pathologies such as conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, pneumonia, cholecystitis, pelvioperitonitis.
Types of infection
The disease is quite insidious, because the pathogen is of several types, differing in a special structure. They are designated by Latin letters: A, B, Ba, D-K, I-3. For example, I-3 chlamydia provokes the development of a tropical disease - venereal lymphogranuloma. Types D-K cause damage to the genitals. There are pathological organisms that cause a serious illness - trachoma.
The development of the disease is due to the introduction chlamydia D-K. They are able to live and reproduce in the body of the host, and can also exist for quite a long time outside the human body.
Transmission routes
The most common transmission mechanism is through sexual intercourse. Unprotected sex, even oral sex, leads to the fact that the infection is transmitted from person to person. The probability of getting infected in this case is about 60%. Chlamydia can also be spread through the household, provided the use of other people's toothbrushes, razors or any personal hygiene items, but this is rare.
The risk of infection increases in the presence of microtraumas on the skin and mucous membranes.
The vertical route of transmission - from mother to child - is a fairly common cause of infection. If a woman has chlamydia during pregnancy, there is a risk of infection of the fetus. Some types of the disease can be transmitted from animals and birds: you can get infected, for example, from a domestic cat.
Hygiene items through which chlamydia is transmitted
According to many studies, the pathogen is also present in saliva. Theoretically, infection through a kiss is possible, but in practice the probability is too small.
Incubation period
After chlamydia trachomatis is in the genital tract of a woman or a man, it takes a certain time for it to start active reproduction. Most often, the incubation period is about 2 weeks, although it can stretch up to a month.
Reproduction of chlamydia
After entering the human body, the microorganism goes through several stages:
- Penetration into the mucous membrane.
- Breeding insidecells. Unlike other viruses and bacteria, chlamydia are represented by reticular bodies and begin to divide if there are suitable conditions. After 2-3 days, the cell in which the chlamydia was located dies.
- Manifestation of symptoms. The last stage is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the organ that has been affected. The cell dies, the reticular bodies come out and attack healthy cells. Reproduction of organisms takes place, for which about 14 days are needed.
Manifestations of chlamydia in men
The microorganism most commonly causes inflammatory disease urethra - urethritis. It is manifested by soreness, burning during urination. With a long course, it contributes to the formation of scars and narrowing of the lumen of the urethra.
Inflammation of the testicles and their appendages (orchiepididymitis) is manifested by an increase in the size of the organs. Accompanied by severe pain, local inflammatory reactions. The result can be infertility or a decrease in testosterone levels.
Prostatitis is an inflammatory lesion prostate. Involvement in the process of this organ occurs a few weeks after infection with the upward movement of chlamydia along the urinary tract. With the development of the disease, a number of common symptoms are observed:
- pain in the groin;
- problems with urination;
- discharge from the urethra.
With a long process, the structures of prostate tissues are disrupted, which leads to infertility and impaired spermatogenesis.
The first signs and symptoms in women
Characteristic manifestations of the disease in women may be absent. Pathological symptoms appear in only a third of those infected. The latent course is dangerous not only for the patient, but also for her sexual partner. If an infected woman becomes pregnant, chlamydia can harm the baby in the womb.
Self-observation of signs and secretions does not provide specific information about the presence of chlamydia. These symptoms accompany other diseases: herpes, thrush, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis.
You can suspect the disease by the following signals:
- An increase in temperature to subfebrile numbers (observed in the acute course of pathology).
- The occurrence of pain of varying degrees of intensity. Localization: lower abdomen, lower back.
- Symptoms of cystitis with involvement in the inflammatory process of the urethra (cutting pains at the beginning and end of the act of urination).
- Non-standard discharge - mucopurulent, with a yellow tint and an unpleasant odor. In this case, they may be a consequence of not only chlamydial infection.
- Burning and discomfort in the groin.
- Erosion of the cervix - can also indicate chlamydia.
Many symptoms can only be detected by a gynecologist during an examination.
Methods of laboratory diagnostics
Diagnosis is quite problematic. Its complexity is associated with the characteristics of the vital activity of the infection. Chlamydia is an intracellular microorganism that is able to penetrate and live in the host cells, which are often the epithelium of the mucous membranes of the genital organs. It is with this that repeated relapses of chronic diseases are associated.
If chlamydia persists intracellularly, then when favorable conditions occur, it is activated, causing an exacerbation of the chronic process. Treatment attempts lead to chronic inflammation of the urinary organs and resistant forms of the microorganism.
Often other infections are combined with chlamydia, which are provoked by opportunistic microorganisms. They are present in the human body normally, but if the immune defense deteriorates, they can cause infectious diseases.
Conventionally, methods for diagnosing chlamydia are divided according to the principle on which they are based. The following are currently in use:
- rapid tests;
- smear;
- immunofluorescence reaction;
- serological methods;
- linked immunosorbent assay;
- cultural method;
- DNA methods.
It is impossible to single out the most optimal method for diagnosing chlamydia, since each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages:
Diagnostic method Description Express tests Mini-tests, or express tests, can be purchased at any pharmacy. They are designed for home use. When a bacterium enters a sensitive strip, antibodies bind to microorganisms and stain it. At a positive result two bars are visible in the reading window. The sensitivity of the method varies between 20-50% Mucosal smear Examination of the discharge of the genitourinary organs under a microscope. In women, a smear is taken from the walls of the vagina, cervix, or external opening of the urethra. In men - from the urethra (in some cases, the secret of the prostate is analyzed). Microscopic examination is quite simple, inexpensive and fast. The sensitivity of the method in relation to chlamydia is low and is no more than 15-30%. The smear may show a pattern of chronic inflammation suggesting a possible chlamydia infection. Immunofluorescence reaction Requires highly qualified laboratory assistant and sophisticated equipment. To carry out the reaction, the smear is stained with fluorescent dyes. Thanks to this, chlamydia look luminous. The method is extremely accurate, but only a small number of professionals are able to use it, so the sensitivity is estimated at 70%. This is due to the fact that other opportunistic microorganisms are also stained with fluorescent dyes. In addition, only one type of chlamydia is found. Advantage - high execution speed Serological methods For the diagnosis of chlamydial infection, one standard method is used - the component binding reaction. It consists in the use of special antibodies that bind to pathogens. then they are fixed in the complex. The method is carried out quickly and quite simply, but gives a lot of false positive results. Has low specificity PCR method The sensitivity is quite high - up to 99%. The main disadvantage is that diagnostics requires a specially equipped laboratory and qualified personnel. It is necessary to observe sterility at all stages, otherwise there may be false positive results. For the test, a set of reagents from various manufacturers is used, the sensitivity of which may vary ligase chain reaction Refers to DNA methods. One of the most modern, allows in urine. Sensitivity and specificity reach 100%. The method is superior to all others, including cultural. For research, it is enough to collect urine in a container. However, the test is quite time-consuming, requires highly qualified personnel and special equipment. Cultural method It consists in the fact that the discharge from the genitourinary organs is planted on a special nutrient medium. For several days, the sown material is placed in a special incubator. After some time, provided that there is chlamydia in the test sample, it will grow on the surface in the form of specific colonies. This method allows you to determine the sensitivity to antibiotics, never gives false positive results. The disadvantage is the duration - it takes several days to grow microorganisms Therapy for chlamydia
Treatment must be comprehensive. The infection is almost impossible to completely cure by prescribing just one type of antibiotic. In addition to antibiotic therapy, medications are used to stimulate immunity, increase protective properties organism, normalization of intestinal microflora and mucous membranes. There are measures to eliminate chronic diseases.
Concomitant treatments are often given as preparatory phase before prescribing antibiotics - to minimize their toxic effects.
Preparation for treatment
To normalize the intestinal microflora, preparations from the group of eubiotics are used (Bifidumbacterin, Linex, Hilak forte). Additionally assigned:
- Hepatoprotectors. Used in case of liver damage.
- enzyme preparations. They are used under the condition that there is a disease of the pancreas with enzyme deficiency (Festal, Panzinorm, Creon).
- Other drugs for the treatment of pathologies of the digestive system.
Preparation for treatment includes a complete blood count to rule out pyelonephritis. If this disease is detected, additional use of diuretics and the choice of effective antibiotics against the pathogen are necessary. For this, an antibiogram of urine culture is performed.
The duration of the preparatory stage is individual and depends on the presence of chronic diseases, but rarely exceeds 2-4 weeks and is controlled by the attending physician.
The need for this stage is that the treatment of chlamydia requires the use of sufficiently toxic drugs and long-term regimens reception, breaks in which it is highly undesirable to do. If you interrupt the use of an antibacterial agent, chlamydia becomes insensitive to it.
Concomitant chronic diseases with long-term treatment with high doses of toxic drugs may worsen, which is an indication for their cancellation. It is for this that the patient is prepared and the body is stabilized.
- Tetracycline, Doxycycline.
- Azithromycin, Erythromycin, Midecamycin.
- Ofloxacin.
Before prescribing the drug, you need to conduct a full examination - this will help to avoid serious complications. Only a doctor can adequately draw up a treatment regimen and control the process. With chlamydia, self-medication and folk methods are categorically unacceptable.
Stimulation of immunity
Stimulation of the body's defenses is achieved by reducing emotional stress, normalizing the daily routine, increasing activity, and healthy nutrition. These methods are supplemented by the appointment of the following drugs:
- Vitamins from the group of antioxidants(A, C, E), which reduce the toxic effects of chlamydia on the body and promote the restoration of damaged tissues.
- Immunala- a herbal preparation used to stimulate immune cells. The processes of elimination of infection and restoration of tissues under its action occur more actively. The drug has contraindications that must be excluded before taking it.
Immunostimulating therapy is prescribed individually.
Prevention
The best prevention is to avoid factors that lead to infection:
- Decrease in the number of sexual partners. Significantly increases the risk of infection in the presence of promiscuity.
- Use of protective equipment in case of accidental contact. Preference should be given to a condom.
- If there is suspicion of a partner's infidelity, a serological and bacteriological study for STDs is carried out annually.
- Immediate initiation of treatment upon detection of chlamydia.
- Cessation of sexual intercourse during therapy. None of the protection methods gives a 100% guarantee.
- Conducting a full course of treatment and subsequent diagnosis of the condition.
Consequences of chlamydia
In women, diseases of the pelvic organs occur, which manifest themselves in the form of inflammation:
- fallopian tubes (salpingitis);
- vagina (colpitis);
- fallopian tubes and ovaries (salpingoophoritis);
- cervix (cervicitis);
- the inner lining of the uterus (endometritis).
These ailments can lead to adhesions that cause infertility, ectopic pregnancy and miscarriages on early dates. Due to the development of infection in the body, pathologies such as placentitis, chorioamnionitis and perihepatitis can manifest.
Pregnant women often have:
- intrauterine infection;
- premature rupture of the fetal bladder;
- fetal death;
- postpartum endometritis.
The presence of a chlamydial infection significantly reduces the chances of a successful in vitro fertilization.
In some cases, the infection does not affect the genitals, but, for example, the rectum, causing proctitis. When the pathogen enters the throat, pharyngitis develops, and pyelonephritis develops in the kidneys. There is also pneumonia caused by chlamydia.
The disease often develops in children. Infection occurs in utero or through the birth canal. Sometimes household methods are possible (through the bed).
Another pathology caused by chlamydia is Reiter's disease. This is a complex disease characterized by the occurrence of urethritis, conjunctivitis and arthritis at the same time. Sometimes inflammatory diseases of the skin and mucous membranes are added to them. Violations develop in patients with chlamydia who have a histocompatibility antigen that is inherited. It can be detected in 90% of patients. It has not yet been revealed how it works, but it has been found that the risk of developing seronegative arthritis in such people is 40 times higher.
The disease begins with diarrhea. Two weeks later, urethritis appears with mild manifestations. After a couple of weeks, there is a sharp exacerbation of the process: an increase in temperature to 38 degrees and pain in the joints. The disease can affect all organs and systems.
Diagnostics of the cure
To evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment, diagnostic procedures are needed. Cure Criteria:
- Negative PCR result. The study is carried out no earlier than 4 weeks after the end of the course of antibiotic therapy. If diagnosed earlier, a false negative result can be obtained.
- Decreased lgG titer to a level of less than 1 to 16 and the disappearance of lgM, which is an additional criterion.
- Decreased clinical signs of disease(cervicitis, prostatitis, urethritis). Inflammatory processes can also be caused by concomitant infections, so the presence of inflammation or the disappearance of the main clinical symptoms cannot be the basis for assessing the effectiveness of treatment.
The only manifestation of which is urogenital chlamydia, yet there are other nosological forms of this disease. These include, in particular, respiratory chlamydia. This disease is caused by three types of chlamydia, namely Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Chlamydia psittaci. Each subspecies of microorganisms is characterized by its own ways of transmitting the disease.
The most common routes of transmission of respiratory chlamydia are:
1.
airborne way;
2.
infection from a sick mother;
3.
contact-household way;
4.
contact with sick birds both wild and domestic).
Airborne route.
This route of transmission consists in the fact that pathogenic microorganisms located on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract of a sick person are released into the environment in the form of aerosols. It occurs when talking, sneezing or coughing. Chlamydia are relatively unstable in the external environment, but in microscopic drops of mucus and sputum they can persist for up to 5 days. A healthy person becomes infected by inhaling air with such droplets. After entering the respiratory tract, chlamydia begin to multiply on the mucous membrane, to which they have an affinity. This leads to a specific pathological process - chlamydial pneumonia, bronchitis or other forms of respiratory chlamydia. The airborne route of transmission is characteristic mainly of Chlamydia pneumoniae. Chlamydia trachomatis, the main causative agent of urogenital chlamydia, which is very common in society, is not transmitted in this way.Infection of newborns from a sick mother.
According to some reports, infection of the fetus and transmission of chlamydia to the child from a sick mother occurs in about 50% of cases. The risk of infection is especially high if the infection has risen from the lower parts of the genitourinary system to the uterus. Then, during passage through the birth canal, aspiration may occur ( ingestion) child amniotic fluid. In this case, infected newborns often develop chlamydial conjunctivitis, which occurs in parallel with acute respiratory illness ( ORZ). This route of transmission is typical for Chlamydia trachomatis, which often develops in the uterine cavity without adequate and timely treatment.Contact-household way of transmission.
This route of infection is quite rare, since chlamydia, which have fallen on household items with drops of mucus, quickly die. However, there are research data that confirm that at a certain temperature ( 18 - 19 degrees) chlamydia are able to survive in the external environment for up to five days. But infection of a healthy person with the same respiratory form of the disease is unlikely, since the pathogen practically cannot get into the lungs from household items. Often in such cases, bacteria enter the mucous membrane of the eyes, causing chlamydial conjunctivitis.Contact with infected birds.
Chlamydia, which can be contracted from birds, is often referred to as ornithosis or psittacosis, as the causative agent of the infection is Chlamydia psittaci. The infection is transmitted by inhalation of dust containing pathogenic microorganisms, or by direct contact with sick birds. A person whose illness is caused by this type of chlamydia does not pose a danger of infection to others.Thus, the transmission routes of respiratory chlamydia are largely determined by the subspecies of chlamydia that caused the disease. The sources of the disease also differ.
Sources of infection in the case of respiratory chlamydia can be:
- A person with chlamydial pneumonia or bronchitis , is a source of infection both during the peak of the disease, when the clinical picture is most pronounced, and in the incubation period, when the symptoms of the disease have not yet appeared. In both cases, the exhaled air contains a sufficient number of microorganisms to infect others. Moreover, the state when a person is already contagious in the incubation period is considered more dangerous, since the patient is not isolated and continues to be among healthy people, exposing them to the risk of chlamydia infection.
- Bacteria carrier. Unlike urogenital chlamydia, which is not a carrier, respiratory chlamydia can be spread by some people without harming their health. In this case, chlamydia inhabit the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, but do not cause the disease, or it is asymptomatic. These people release pathogenic bacteria into the external environment and pose a significant danger to others.
- Sick wild and domestic birds. In birds, chlamydia is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia psittaci. People who work in poultry farms and farmers are more at risk. The pathogen enters the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract with dust particles. Gradually, it colonizes the bronchi, bronchioles and other structures in the lungs, causing an inflammatory process.
Given the low likelihood of infection and the relatively low prevalence of respiratory chlamydia in the community, it is completely healthy people rarely get infected. Most often, the disease affects those who have a weakened immune system.
People at risk for contracting respiratory chlamydia include:
- Children whose immunity has not yet fully developed , so it is not able to protect the body from infection.
- elderly people because with age, the body's defenses are reduced. This is primarily due to a decrease in antibody production, which makes them more susceptible to infections.
- People with immune system diseases (HIV-infected, cancer patients).
Prevention of respiratory chlamydia is reduced to the following measures:
- isolation of patients with respiratory chlamydia;
- avoiding contact with wild and domestic birds, which are a potential source of chlamydial infection;
- use of personal protective equipment ( masks);
- ventilation and disinfection of the premises and objects with which the patient has been in contact;
- strengthening general immunity.
