Chlamydia trachomatis Flashcards
what gram is Chlamydia trachomatis?
negative
what are biovars
variant of a prokaryotic strain that differs physiologically or biochemically from other strains in a particular species
how many biovars can C. trachomatis be divided into?
3
what does C. trachomatis cause?
- chlamydia
- trachoma (eye infection = blindness)
- lumphogranuloma venereum, STI of rectum
how is chlamydia transmitted
sexually and vertically between mother and baby.
- unprotected sex
- sharing toys that are not washed or covered
- genitals touching genitals
- infected semen or vaginal fluid getting into the eye
what is the natural history of chlamydia
incubation period: 1-3 weeks
often asymptomatic
what are the symptoms of chlamydia
pain when urinating, vagina and penis discharge, painful sex, bleeding after sex
why is ‘detection rate’ used for chlamydia
most cases are asymptomatic so we can only detect the people who get tested
when did detection rate fall for Chlamydia
2020
incidence is strongly related to
testing rate
what are the risk factors for Chlamydia
key risk factor is being <25. Not using condoms and multiple sex partners is also a risk factor.
what is the treatment
antibiotics, to prevent spread / avoid reinfection. sexual partners need to be tested and abstain from sex until treatment is working
