Chlamydia is the most diagnosed STD (sexually transmitted disease) in the world and the most common in France. It affects 2,000 to 4,000 individuals per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Many people tend to think that sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia can only be passed on through sex. However, this is not the case. As we will see, there are several ways to transmit chlamydia between two people.

What is chlamydia?

There are several species of Chlamydia bacteria. The sexually transmitted infection (STI) commonly known as chlamydia Is caused by C. trachomatis.

In an infected person, this occurs in the mucous membranes of the infected site. The mucous membrane is a soft tissue of the body that is not protected by the skin, such as the inside of the mouth, vagina, urethra and rectum.

Mucous membranes emit fluids that can carry the bacteriaC. trachomatis . It can also be present in semen. This means that when an uninfected person comes into direct contact with the mucous membrane (semen or vaginal fluid of an infected person), it is possible for them to contract the bacteria and develop chlamydia.

Quels sont les principaux symptômes la chlamydia ?

Many people with chlamydia have no symptoms and therefore do not know they have an infection. It usually takes two to three weeks for symptoms to appear, but can be as long as six weeks. Common symptoms vary depending on the infected location:

• Genital tract infections are characterized by unusual fluid (or discharge) from the vagina or penis, as well as pain during urination.
• Rectal infections often present with bleeding and pain in the anus.
• Infections of the throat or mouth are distinguished by a sore throat.

If left untreated, chlamydiacan lead to infertility, abdominal pain, or complications in pregnancy.

Quelles sont les modes de transmission de la chlamydia ?

Chlamydia does not always cause a symptoms in the carrier. But the fact that someone has no symptoms does not make the disease any less contagious, however.

Therefore, infection can be transmitted from one person to another by the following means:

• Unprotected vaginal sex

Chlamydia can be spread from a man through infected semen, or from a woman through vaginal fluid, or through contact with genital tissue. These are the routes by which chlamydia is most commonly transmitted.

It is important to note that ejaculation does not have to occur for the infection to be transferred from one partner to another.

• Unprotected sodomy

Again, this occurs when the penis comes into contact with infected tissue in the rectum. Or when it comes into contact with a man's infected semen.

• Oral sex

Chlamydia can be transmitted through oral contact with infected semen or from infected tissue from the mouth to the penis. However, although possible, transmission by this route is considered rare. This is because tissues in the genital area are more susceptible to infection with C. trachomatis than those in the mouth and throat.

It is therefore also possible for a woman to transmit the disease to her partner through oral sex (vagina to mouth), although this is unlikely. Similarly, mouth to vagina, mouth to anus are all theoretically possible routes of transmission, but they are not common.

• Sharing sex toys

This occurs when the semen or the vaginal fluid infected is transferred from an infected person to the surface of a sex toy. This one is then used by its partner. Essentially, infected fluids are transported to the mucous membranes of another person using the sex toy.

• Mother to baby

If a pregnant woman is a carrier of the infection at the time of delivery, the infection can then be passed on to her baby. Chlamydia during pregnancy can also increase the risk of complications.

How to prevent chlamydia?

That said, if a person has had unprotected sex with an infected person, it does not necessarily mean that they have contracted chlamydia.

Obviously, the more a person has sex with an infected person, the greater the risk of transmission.

Using a condom can reduce the chances of getting the infection. As long as they are used accordingly, condoms are believed to remain 99% effective in reducing STI transmission.

Periodic screening for chlamydia is the other way to prevent the spread of this infection. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that sexually active women 25 years of age and younger be screened annually forchlamydia.

Similarly, older women who have multiple sexual partners or other chlamydia risk factors should be screened for this STI. A woman previously diagnosed with chlamydia should be retested approximately 3 months after treatment. 

The CDC recommends, in addition, that sexually active men undergo annual screening not only for chlamydia, but also for other STIs.

Sources and references:

Photo by Dainis Graveris on SexualAlpha : https://sexualalpha.com/ 

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/chlamydia http://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/screening-recommendations.htm