What is Chlamydia infection?

A chlamydial infection is an infection with chlamydia bacteria. You are responsible for a number of diseases. Three forms of chlamydia in humans are disease-inducing:

    Chlamydia trachomatis
    Chlamydia pneumoniae
    Chlamydia psittaci


Which is our best-known disease caused by chlamydia, the urogenital chlamydial infection. In tropical and developing countries, trachoma, a chronic conjunctivitis is most common.

What causes a chlamydial infection?

Chlamydia is from person to person or from animal to man rarely by droplet or contact infection transferable. The bacteria cause different diseases, depending on the species:

Chlamydia trachomatis not only solves a urogenital chlamydial infection, which is the most common sexually transmitted disease from, but is also the cause of trachoma. Trachoma is a chronic conjunctivitis, which occurs frequently, especially in tropical latitudes is. The World Health Organization (WHO) worldwide from 150 million people infected. Germany comes in trachoma is very rare.

Transmitted Chlamydia trachomatis is the pathogen through unprotected sexual intercourse or oral sex. By smear infection of the pathogen also passes from eye to eye. Transfer in developing countries often fly a chlamydial infection of the eye.

The pathogen Chlamydia pneumoniae has been discovered only a few years ago. It is estimated that three quarters of all people infected at least once in your life with this type of chlamydia. Chlamydia pneumoniae is transmitted by droplet infection from person to person and causes primarily acute respiratory diseases. The spectrum ranges from sinus inflammation (sinusitis) to the atypical pneumonia. In general, these chlamydial infection is relatively harmless.

Caused by the Chlamydia psittaci Chlamydia infection is also known as "parrot fever" (ornithosis). The pathogen is transmitted from parrots, but also from other pets such as cats, dogs or sheep, as well as other bird species. Unlike the other forms of Chlamydia psittaci Chlamydia is relatively insensitive and even outside a host body relatively durable. Bird droppings, for example, for up to four weeks infectious. The pathogen can not be transmitted from person to person, so there is no risk of infection among those affected.

In this chlamydial infection often affects the respiratory tract. But any organ can be infected by the pathogen. It can lead to severe disease requiring medical treatment necessarily.

Symptoms of Chlamydia: depending on the pathogen type

The various chlamydia bacteria cause different diseases.
Urogenital infections

In most cases a urogenital chlamydial infection is no or few symptoms, so they will not even notice. Women in particular often do not notice an infection. After an incubation period of up to two weeks usually results in a Zervititis, an inflammation of the mucosa and the deeper layers of the cervix. The result is a purulent discharge. Slight burning sensation during sex and urination are also signs of chlamydial infection.

If chlamydia is not treated, it rises from the urogenital tract in the higher-lying areas and infects the fallopian tube. The fallopian tubes may obstruct, which can lead to long-term untreated infertility.

In men, there is usually an inflammation of the urethra, which is characterized by a burning sensation during urination, and increased urination. As in women is also reflected in them a purulent discharge.
Trachoma

Trachoma is a chronic conjunctivitis, whose initial infection usually occurs in childhood. After an incubation period of about a week there will be sensitivity to light and increased tear production as well as a feeling of pressure in the eye. Then raises an acute conjunctivitis (conjunctivitis) a. The inflammation is chronic and there is a super-infection, when the eye is also infected by other bacteria. Pus and small ulcers form. Gradually, the corneal scars and thereby becomes cloudy. Untreated trachoma eventually leads to blindness.
Respiratory diseases

In the initial infection appeared after an incubation period of up to four weeks, signs of a conventional respiratory infection: fever, coughing and hoarseness and sore throat are possible. In children and adolescents often show no or only mild symptoms. The following respiratory diseases can be caused by chlamydia organisms:

    Sinus inflammation (sinusitis)
    Pharyngitis (Pharyngititis)
    Bronchitis
    atypical pneumonia (atypical pneumonia)


When psittacosis (ornithosis), the course is more difficult: First, show fever, chills and body aches, cough with sputum and later heavy breathing. If the infection is not treated then it spreads through the respiratory system also. In particularly severe cases, to liver damage and an infestation of the central nervous system. Seldom has developed a heart muscle inflammation (myocarditis).

How do you diagnose a chlamydial infection?

The diagnosis of chlamydial infection is dependent on the induced disease. The pathogen is detected by various methods. For this you need always a swab of the infected site. In the urogenital chlamydial infection is a smear of the cervix, in trachoma from the conjunctival sac.

To detect Chlamydia psittaci or pneumoniae as a pathogen, a blood sample is taken and examined for antibodies in the laboratory.

Treatment of chlamydial infection

In the treatment of chlamydial infection always an antibiotic is used. Which drugs are applied depends on the particular pathogen. Most tetracyclines are taken, in trachoma, this antibiotic should be applied directly as an ingredient in an eye ointment. Also, the drugs erythromycin and doxycycline are suitable for treating the infection. In a urogenital chlamydial infection, the recommended intake for a period of 14 days. An exception is the active ingredient azithromycin, in which the revenue of a single dose is sufficient. In addition, both partners should be treated in order to avoid mutual contagion (ping-pong effect).

How does the chlamydia infection?

Normally, a chlamydial infection is through the use of antibiotics to treat well. Only undetected infections can cause complications.

An undetected urogenital chlamydial infection in women can go unnoticed for the cause of tubal pregnancy be s or infertility. In addition, there may be inflammation of the pelvis, the chronic. Spread along the chlamydial pathogens into the abdominal cavity, there is an inflammation of the peritoneum covering the liver (perihepatitis). For men can pass the infection to the testicles and prostate  even here there is a long-term risk of infertility.

Trachoma is not treated in time, it takes a period of ten to 30 years, corneal damage and blindness.

Chlamydia infection in pregnancy

If a chlamydia infection during pregnancy is the risk of preterm birth. In addition, the pathogens can be transmitted during birth to the child. It is then relatively quickly to symptoms such as chronic conjunctivitis. About one-fifth of infected newborns have an atypical pneumonia.

Chlamydial infection: how can we prevent it?

Against urogenital infection is the best safe sex protection. Only protected sexual intercourse helps prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

Trachoma occurs mainly in developing countries and is caused partly by the lack of hygienic conditions. Therefore it is advisable to pay attention to travel in such areas to hygiene and above all to protect from flies that can transmit the chlamydia infection. To protect children from infection at birth, a chlamydia test during pregnancy is recommended to take the necessary measures in good time.

To protect against Chlamydia psittaci bacteria, it is advisable when dealing with large bird populations always wear a mouthguard. In confined spaces, there is an increased risk of infection, since droppings and feathers chlamydial pathogens can carry. Here it is advisable to pay attention to regular hygiene.

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