Chlamydia through sexual contact. Which doctor treats chlamydia infection? Treatment methods for chlamydia

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. It is important for any adult to know the signs of chlamydia, since complications of this pathology can lead to infertility. Symptoms in men may be mild, while in women the symptoms are more obvious. Often this condition goes unnoticed by patients, which significantly complicates subsequent treatment.

This pathology is caused by chlamydia, which is not a virus, but it can no longer be classified as bacteria. This “dual” nature of the pathogen somewhat complicates treatment and makes diagnosis difficult. It is important to know that the incubation period of chlamydia can last up to 1 month, during which an infected person can infect their partners. The risk of infection is greater in women than in men, which is explained by physiological characteristics.

Etiology and routes of infection

Chlamydia is a very small gram-negative round bacteria

Such carriage can continue for many years until a state of immunosuppression develops. It can be triggered by severe hypothermia or uncontrolled use of antibiotics. In most cases, infection occurs through sexual contact, although contact with a sick person does not always lead to infection - this happens in one case out of four. However, the risk of infection is greater in women.

If a pregnant woman suffers from chlamydia, then during childbirth the child is almost guaranteed to become infected. Chlamydia can also be contracted through household contact - for this, the pathogen must penetrate from dirty hands into the eyes or genitals. Despite the low probability, this is possible, since chlamydia can survive for up to 2 days in humid conditions at temperatures up to 19 degrees.

Chlamydia clinic

It is worth understanding that chlamydia is often asymptomatic, or the symptoms are minimal. According to statistics, up to 47% of men and 67% of women are completely unaware that they have such a pathology.

In most cases, in men, the first sign of chlamydia is months-long urethritis - a mild inflammation of the urethra. It is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• small amounts of glassy discharge from the urethra;
• pain or burning when urinating;
• unexpressed pain in the urethra, scrotum or lower back;
• slight rise in temperature;
• weakness;
• cloudy urine.

About half of men do not notice the symptoms of the disease

In more serious cases, men may experience blood after a while during ejaculation or at the end of urination. In the urine itself, purulent threads can be identified.

Symptoms in women

In women, the first sign is discharge due to chlamydia, which the woman may not pay attention to for some time. But after some time they become mucopurulent, and may have an unpleasant odor - how long this will take depends on the individual characteristics of the woman herself. Other symptoms that appear in women include:

• pain in the lower abdomen, intensifying before menstruation;
• intermenstrual bleeding;
• symptoms of general intoxication – weakness, fever.

Sometimes chlamydia can persist in the form of isolated microcolonies located on the mucous membranes. It is impossible to detect such carriage using standard clinical, instrumental or laboratory examination methods - only high-precision diagnostics, for example, PCR, will help.

Diagnostics

It is very difficult to diagnose this pathology, even knowing how chlamydia manifests itself. The symptoms in men and women are extremely inexpressive, and no matter how much standard diagnostic measures are carried out, this disease cannot be identified and treatment cannot be prescribed. Since chlamydia is an intracellular microorganism, a standard smear will not help identify it; a scraping is required, in which the patient’s cells can be taken for analysis.

Currently, the disease can be detected through some laboratory tests.

• PCR (polymerase chain reaction). This is the most effective technique, whose specificity is equal to 100%. A small amount of material is needed to carry out the reaction, and after 1-2 days the patient receives the result - unlike many other methods, PCR does not require confirmation of a positive result. The disadvantage is the relatively high cost.
• ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Allows you to detect antibodies in the blood of a man or woman that appear there in response to infection. The method allows not only to identify the pathogen, but also to quickly determine the stage of the process (acute or chronic process). The accuracy of ELISA does not exceed 60%, since specific antibodies can also be found in healthy people - in those who have previously been cured (serological scar) or in cross-reactions.

Laboratory diagnostics are of primary importance in the diagnosis of chlamydia

• Sowing. This is a culture method with an efficiency of 90%, and simultaneous determination of sensitivity to antibiotics. The result will be known in a few days, since this is the most labor-intensive method. The undoubted advantage of chlamydia culture is the simultaneous determination of the antibiotic that will kill the patient's chlamydia.
• General smear. The attractiveness of this microscopic analysis is that it is cheap and simple, but the efficiency is no higher than 15%. In reality, it is impossible to identify chlamydia in this way; one can only suspect their presence in the body based on indirect signs. In men, a smear is taken from the urethra, and in women, additionally from the vagina and cervix. The results become known quite quickly.
• REEF. The immunofluorescence reaction is carried out as follows: a smear is taken (urethra or cervical canal), stained with a special solution, and sent for examination under a fluorescent microscope. The accuracy of this reaction does not exceed 50%. The results come very quickly - within an hour, and this is the main advantage. Only a professional doctor should collect material for research, and an experienced laboratory technician should examine it. This is due to the fact that the interpretation of the result is carried out with the eyes, and the risk of making a mistake is quite high.

As a means of self-prevention of chlamydia, you can periodically purchase a “mini-test” in pharmacies, although its accuracy does not exceed 20%.

Treatment

Treatment of chlamydia in our country was radically changed only in the 21st century. Since the beginning of the 90s, it has been ineffective, long-lasting and has a lot of side effects. Nowadays, chlamydia prevention is actively carried out, and the treatment itself takes no more than a month. Despite the positive changes, curing this pathology still remains a difficult task, and positive results can be achieved only in 70% of cases. This applies to urogenital chlamydia, which often cannot be cured with antibiotics.

Although only two antibiotics are often used, proper and active treatment for men and women includes the use of a whole range of medications. Specific treatment is selected only by the attending physician based on a variety of data:

• the presence or absence of characteristic symptoms;
• process stages;
• immunograms;
• liver test;
• blood tests and urine cultures;
• PCR, ELISA and other studies, if carried out.

Men and women develop inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system as a result of infection

One of the important points of treatment is the stimulation of the own immunity of a man or woman with a confirmed diagnosis of chlamydia. No matter how many antibiotics you take on your own, the disease will not go away, since it is impossible to cure it solely with these drugs. The treatment process necessarily includes taking immunostimulants, since there are cases where only thanks to an adequate immune response of the body’s own, it was possible to cure chlamydia when antibiotics were powerless. Based on the test results, the doctor will most likely prescribe the following groups of drugs for treatment:

• immunomodulators;
• hepatoprotectors;
• enzymes;
• probiotics;
• antihistamines;
• antibiotics.

Chlamydia manifests itself differently in women

The doctor will also decide how much and what medications to take, since the wrong combination can seriously harm the patient.

Complications and prevention of chlamydia

Among the common and serious complications of chlamydia, the following should be noted:

• Reiter's disease;
• urethral stricture;
• orchiepididymitis, often leading to infertility in men;
• chronic prostatitis;
• inflammatory diseases in women in the pelvic organs;
• miscarriages or infection of the newborn.

The symptoms of chlamydia are not pleasant, and treatment is expensive. Therefore, it is better to think about its prevention. The rules are quite simple and the same for all sexually transmitted diseases - sexual hygiene, a permanent partner, exclusion of casual relationships and immediate consultation with a doctor at the slightest suspicion of possible infection. You also need to remember that symptoms may be completely absent.

17.06.2017

Chlamydia infectionis a disease caused by chlamydia microorganisms.

These bacteria Maybe , a healthy person can become infected from a sick person and even from a sick animal.

What is chlamydia? This is an infection that enters the human body after contact with animals and birds. Dangerous chlamydia species : Chlamydia psittaci and pecorum. Chlamydia trachomatis and pneumoniae are chlamydia found in the human body.

These microorganisms are very resistant to environmental influences and do not die for up to 2 days. They die at a temperature of at least 100 degrees for one minute, and also die when treated with an antiseptic.

Types of chlamydia or chlamydial infections

Chlamydia infection divided into types of chlamydia , depending on the damage to a particular organ:

• Chlamydia psittaci - this chlamydia causes conjunctivitis;
• Chlamydia trachomatis - this infection causes conjunctivitis, otitis and nasopharyngitis in newly born children, Chlamydia trachomatis in adults causes lymphogranulomatosis venereum and genital chlamydia;
• Chlamydia pneumoniae - this chlamydia infects the cardiac system, blood vessels, respiratory system with the transition to pneumonia, acute and chronic bronchitis, cardiac and bronchial asthma;

Chlamydia infectionor chlamydia can be in acute form, chronic form and without symptoms of the disease.

Causes of chlamydia disease

Chlamydia infectionor chlamydia is caused by the presence of chlamydia in the body. Diseasechlamydia causesThe entry of this infection into the body is preceded by the following factors:

• sexual intercourse with frequent changes of partners;
• use of an intrauterine device;
• lack of hygiene;
• close contact with animals;
• weakened immune system.

Also chlamydial infectionstransmitted in the following ways:

• sexual mode of transmission;
• household method;
• intrauterine infection;
• infection of the child at the time of birth.

Symptoms of the infectious disease chlamydia

appear only three weeks after infection. During this time there is an incubation period diseases. In acute form, identifysigns of chlamydiaalmost impossible. More than 90 percent of diagnosed diseases are chronic.What is chlamydia?These are infectious microorganisms that enter the cell and destroy it.

Chlamydia, entering the human body, especially those with a weakened immune system, finds itself in favorable living conditions, multiplying in such conditions, and a number of diseases are formed.

These diseases are associated with the human urinary system and the reproductive system of the body.

Diseases that cause chlamydia:

• cystitis;
• urethritis;
• paraurethritis;
• cystourethritis;
• orchitis;
• vulvitis;
• funiculitis;
• chronic prostatitis;
• vesiculitis;
• orchiepidimitis;
• cooperite;
• colpitis;
• endocervicitis;
• erosion.

Urogenital chlamydia

Urogenital chlamydia develops diseases such as urethritis and cervicitis.How does chlamydia manifest? People may experience frequent urination, and the process of urination itself is painful and may occasionally manifest with drops of blood. Sticky discharge from the genital tract and urethra.

Chlamydia infectionaffects the prostate in men and develops prostatitis, seminal vesicles and provokes the disease vesiculitis. The testicles are affected (orchitis) and the testicular membrane is affected by the disease epididymitis.

Chlamydia diseaseaffects the uterus of the female body and provokes endometritis, chlamydia enters the appendages and develops the disease adnexitis in them.

Symptoms of chlamydia in the female body

Symptoms of chlamydiain the body of women it occurs in a more hidden form than in the male body and therefore it is very difficult to diagnose this infection. The latent form of the disease is very dangerous, both for the female body itself, because it causes complications and consequences of the disease, and for the sexual partner who is exposed infection.

If diagnostics andchlamydia treatmentdid not pass on time, then an infected woman during the period of bearing a child can infect the baby at the moment of his birth.

Chlamydia diseasegoes through several stages of development in the female body:

• penetration of infection into the body;
• reproduction of chlamydia inside cells and with intensive reproduction, this cell dies after 48 - 72 hours;
• the inflammatory process of the infected organ and the spread of microorganisms throughout the female body.

Chlamydia in the bloodof the female body and on the mucous membrane causes diseases of the genital area:

• colpitis is an infectious disease that affects the glands near the vagina. This occurs when there is a lack of the hormone estrogen in girls during adolescence, in women during pregnancy, in women during menopause. appear signs in the form of pain in the lower back and abdomen, itching in the perineum, burning during urination, an increase in body temperature by several degrees;
• Cervicitis is a disease that affects the cervix and causes inflammation and swelling in it. Against the background of these symptoms, erosion develops.

Diagnosis of the disease

Chlamydia infectionin the human body passes in a latent form, the manifestation of this infection occurs some time after entering the body.

Chlamydia is possible diagnose in the female body by these signs: vaginal discharge, itching in the perineum and burning in the vagina, pain and temperature. During diagnosis, other sexually transmitted infections may also be detected. If these signs appear, you need to contact a gynecologist who will prescribehow to treat chlamydia.

Diagnosis of chlamydia in the blood and genital area in men is carried out by a urologist.Treatment of chlamydial infectionmale body, begin immediately after diagnosis, andchlamydia treatment regimensis compiled by a urologist, but a venereologist can also get involved in the treatment if sexually transmitted diseases are detected in the body.

Diagnosis begins with a scraping from the urethra or vagina, and a smear of discharge from the urethra, vagina, and uterine secretions is also taken.

Based on the results of this analysis, a complete picture of chlamydia infection is visible. After the polymerase chain reaction method appeared, it became possible to more accurately determine the presence of infections, including chlamydia, in the body.

Enzyme immunoassay detects the presence of bacteria with an accuracy of 60 to 70 percent.

Also, to diagnose chlamydia, a bacterial culture is performed, which determines the presence of chlamydia in the body, and also reveals the sensitivity of the infection to antibiotics.

To establish a diagnosis, a smear, scraping, semen, urine and blood are used.

Chlamydial infection during pregnancy

During pregnancychlamydia symptoms and treatment. Chlamydia disease is diagnosed quite often during pregnancy. Cause This is the asymptomatic development of the disease, when a woman, until the moment she conceived a child, had no idea about the existence of chlamydia in the body. The development of this disease in women during pregnancy threatens ectopic pregnancy or premature birth.

At the initial stage of pregnancy, infection with chlamydia provokes a sudden miscarriage.

Complications of chlamydia can include polyhydramnios, pathology of the placenta, and intrauterine fetal hypoxia. More than half of chlamydia cases during pregnancy are transmitted to the child. Such a child has been suffering from this disease since birth. Most often in newborn children, the disease manifests itself in the form of conjunctivitis.

Can chlamydia be cured?in pregnant women? With proper treatment and compliance with all doctor's instructions, it is fashionableget rid of chlamydiaeven during the period of bearing a child.

The course of antibiotic treatment for pregnant women is designed to take these drugs for 7 days:

• Josamycin 750 mg 3 times a day;

Development of chlamydia in children

Very often, chlamydia in children manifests itself in diseases such as:

• conjunctivitis;
• tubo-otitis;
• bronchitis and bronchial asthma;
• proctitis;
• vulvovaginitis;
• pneumonia.

In the first days of his life, an infected child suffers from conjunctivitis, which is accompanied by sticking of the eyelids and discharge from the eyeball. The development of the disease takes about a month.Treatment of chlamydiain newborns, it will save the child’s vision.

Some children develop chlamydia of the respiratory tract and lungs at birth. As the disease progresses, such children require artificial ventilation therapy.

Infection entering the stomach and intestines as the baby passes through the birth canal leads to intestinal upset and regurgitation, accompanied by toxicosis. With this disease, the nervous system is affected and a rash appears on the skin.

With timely treatment of newborn children -chlamydia is curable fully.

Symptoms of non-sexual infection with chlamydia

When infected through non-sexual means, it most often manifests itself in the joints, nervous system and heart, eyes, nasopharynx, lungs and intestines. Asexualchlamydia symptomsdevelopment of the disease:

• if chlamydia gets into the eyes, then chlamydial conjunctivitis develops, which is accompanied by itching of the eyes, purulent and mucous discharge from the eyes;
• internal organs are affected by chlamydia less frequently than the genitals, but the consequences of such infection can be severe;
• Reiter's syndrome is the most severe complication of chlamydia entering the body.How does chlamydia manifest?with this syndrome?

This syndrome affects the prostate gland of the male body, the eyes and joints of a person. Also during this syndrome, bacterial pneumonia develops, accompanied by a severe cough and which keeps the body temperature within 38 degrees.

Is chlamydia curable?and chlamydial pneumonia? Yes, this disease takes quite a long time to be treated and with constant relapses of the disease.

Treatment of chlamydia disease

If chlamydia is diagnosed, every patient is interested incan chlamydia be cured?. Chlamydia infection treatmentrequires a long time, this process is quite complex.How to cure chlamydia, can only be prescribed by the doctor who diagnosed the disease.

Urogenital chlamydia is treated by a gynecologist or urologist, if the eyes are affected,chlamydia treatmentcarried out by an ophthalmologist. When treating this disease, an immunologist also gives his recommendations.

The main drugs used in treatment are antibiotics of different groups and directions:

• macrolites;
• tetracyclines;
• fluoroquinolones.

Along with antibiotics, the following are involved in the treatment process:

• multivitamins;
• immunomodulators;
• drugs karsil, festal;
• antifungal drugs;
• probiotics.

Women who have chlamydia in the genital area are prescribed douching and vaginal antiseptic tampons along with medications.

Treatment regimen for chlamydiaand selection of medications, prescribed only by the attending physician based on the diagnostic results.

Antibiotics are divided according to the degree of their penetration into the cell:

• low grade - these are antibiotics of the penicillin group;
• medium degree - these are drugs of the tetracycline group, types of aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones;
• high degree - macrolide antibiotics.

Based on this degree, and what chlamydia species are in the body, the following medications are prescribed:

• Azithromycin 500 mg once a day;
• Doxycycline 0.1 mg 2 times a day;
• Erythromycin 500 mg 4 times a day;
• Ofloxacin 300 mg 2 times a day;
• Roxithromycin 150 mg 2 times a day;
• Spiramycin 3 mg 3 times a day.

During treatment of chlamydiaSexual contact, smoking and drinking alcohol are prohibited, and spicy foods must be excluded from your diet.

It is very important to maintain hygiene when treating this disease.

Prevention of chlamydial infection

Chlamydia infection is a disease that is easier to avoid than to later infection - cure.

Preventive methods for chlamydia are:

• regular sexual partner;
• using a condom during casual contacts;
• timely examination after sexual intercourse unprotected with a condom;
• when planning a pregnancy, mandatory examination of both partners;
• abstain from sex while undergoing drug treatment for chlamydia.

According to statistics, up to 100 million people become infected with chlamydia every year. The main risk group includes people from the age group from 18 to 45 years.

Features of the pathogen

The disease chlamydia became known back in 1907. Scientists Halberstaedter and Provacek were the first to identify and describe the pathogen. Since then, experts have thoroughly studied what chlamydia is and where it comes from.

The pathogen has the characteristics of viruses and bacteria. Therefore, it is generally accepted that it occupies an intermediate position between them. The size of chlamydia does not exceed 300 nm. It can only be examined with a powerful microscope. After entering the human body, chlamydia increases in size to 100 nm, in this way they are similar to viruses. What they have in common with bacteria is the presence of RNA and DNA, as well as methods of reproduction.

The process of chlamydia reproduction starts only when they penetrate inside the body cells. They gradually suck out all cellular resources, filling the space with the products of their vital activity. As a result, the cell simply collapses.

Types of chlamydia

Modern science knows many types of chlamydia. Among the most dangerous for humans are:

All types of chlamydia are sensitive to the effects of disinfectants and antiseptics. It is also possible to fight microorganisms in the external environment with the help of heating. They die at temperatures above 60 degrees.

Life cycle

The life cycle of chlamydia consists of the following stages:

• An elementary body enters the human body. It has a spherical shape and is covered with a three-layer shell. The elementary body attaches to the cell.
• The elementary body penetrates into the cell and begins to settle there.
• The elementary body increases in size and turns into a reticular body. The resulting intracellular form has a network structure. The transformation process takes no more than six hours.
• The reticular body begins to actively divide. From it several new elementary bodies are obtained.
• The newly formed elementary bodies leave the cell. Each of them attaches to a healthy epithelium and the cycle repeats.

Read also on the topic

Pulmonary chlamydia in adults and children

The infected cell dies after chlamydia is released from it.

Main routes of infection

The localization of the infection and the development of subsequent complications will be determined by how exactly chlamydia entered the human body. There are several main routes of infection:

• Sexual. Considered the most common. The risk of contracting chlamydia through unprotected sex is about 65%. Women are most often affected. Chlamydia immediately penetrates the genitourinary system. Due to the structural features of the female body, the affected area is much larger than in men. In this case, a urogenital infection develops. Its main danger is that it may not manifest itself in any way for a long time. A man or women become carriers of infection without knowing it.
• Oral. This happens during oral sex with an infected partner. This path is most relevant for women. During fellatio, chlamydia moves from the infected male genital organ into the woman's oral cavity. This can only be prevented by using a condom.
• Anal. The infection is transmitted during anal sex. In this case, pathogenic microflora settles on the intestinal mucosa. This route of infection is relevant for women and gay people.
• Upon contact with biological fluids of a sick person. One of the places where chlamydia comes from is saliva. Transmission of infection during a deep kiss is rare, but this possibility should not be completely ruled out. For infection to occur, the disease must be in an advanced stage. A large number of microorganisms will be required.
• By air. Chlamydia can also appear during a conversation with an infected person. Such cases happen rarely. To become infected, the patient must release a huge number of microorganisms into the air.
• Domestic. One of the ways chlamydia comes from is through contact with contaminated household items. Microorganisms can live on washcloths, toothbrushes, bedding and other personal hygiene items. In this way, the infection often spreads within the same family. Infected children bring the infection to kindergarten, where it spreads through toys and other common items.
• Vertical. This path is relevant for children. Infection is noted at the stage of intrauterine development if the mother suffers from such a disease. The infection can be transmitted after birth during breastfeeding. Therefore, pregnant women need to especially carefully monitor their health. When conception is planned, it is necessary to undergo a full course of diagnostics before it.

Chlamydia can appear in the human body for various reasons. Therefore, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to following the rules of prevention, for example, using a condom during sexual intercourse.

Many people believe that pathogenic microflora appears in the body after visiting a pool or beach. In fact, the concentration of chlamydia in the water is too low for this. The immune system immediately kills individuals that enter the body.

Manifestations of the disease in men and women

Chlamydia in men can be asymptomatic. During this time, microorganisms spread throughout the genitourinary system, which leads to prostatitis, urethritis, impotence and other problems. The disease can only be detected through a thorough medical examination.

With the development of urogenital chlamydia, the following symptoms appear:

• Itching in the area of ​​the urethral opening.
• Painful sensations in the affected area.
• Discharge of a small amount of fluid from the urethra. It contains an admixture of pus, which is why the discharge has an unpleasant color and odor.
• In some cases, there is a slight increase in body temperature.
• There is discomfort when urinating, the urine becomes cloudy.

This is explained by the fact that chlamydia takes root best in the genitourinary tract. To be precise, it is most convenient for these microorganisms to multiply inside columnar epithelial cells. This epithelium is found mainly in the lumen of the urethra and in the cervical region. This selectivity in organ damage explains the high incidence of urogenital chlamydia. However, in many cases, the infection, left without proper treatment, begins to spread throughout the body, affecting more and more organs.

With chlamydia, the following organs may be involved in the infectious process:
1. urinary system;
2. reproductive organs;
3. rectum;
4. mucous membrane of the eyes;
5. lungs ;
6. leather;
7. joints;
8. larynx;
9. other organs.

Urinary system.

As noted above, in most cases the primary source of infection is localized within the urinary system. We are talking about the urethra and, in rare cases, the bladder. The defeat of the latter can be observed only with advanced chlamydia due to the spread of infection up the urethra. Asymptomatic progression in this form of the disease occurs in almost 50% of cases. However, during exacerbations of the disease, the manifestations of the disease very clearly indicate the localization of the infection.

When the organs of the urinary system are affected, patients usually complain of the following symptoms:

• urinary retention;
• feeling of bladder fullness;
• false urges;
• redness of the external opening of the urethra ( noticeable in men).

Reproductive organs.

In the human body, the organs of the excretory and reproductive systems are in close proximity. This explains the fact that the first serious complications of chlamydia affect the reproductive organs. The consequences in this case can be very serious - from disruptions in the menstrual cycle in women to infertility, which in advanced cases can even be irreversible. Symptoms and manifestations of the disease depend on which organ is affected by the infection.

Chlamydia may affect the following organs of the reproductive system:

• Cervix;
• endometrium ( inner lining of the uterus);
• the fallopian tubes ; ovaries ( rarely);
• vas deferens and seminal vesicles;
• prostate;
• epididymis.

Rectum.

Chlamydial proctitis is sometimes observed in children born to mothers with chlamydia. Its appearance is explained by the fact that when a child passes through the birth canal, its mucous membranes come into close contact with the infected mucous membranes of the mother. At this point, disease transmission occurs. The first signs of chlamydia in such cases appear 2–3 weeks after birth.

In adults, chlamydial proctitis is quite rare. Infection occurs through unconventional sexual intercourse. When the rectum is affected, the disease progresses sluggishly, without acute symptoms, so the patient may not suspect the presence of infection for months.

Mucous membrane of the eyes.

Conjunctiva ( mucous membrane) the eye is also highly susceptible to chlamydial infection. The causative agent of the disease can reach it through household items contaminated with microbes, or due to non-compliance with personal hygiene rules. Infection through the bloodstream occurs much less frequently in generalized forms of chlamydia or in doctors' offices during medical procedures. With chlamydial conjunctivitis, the disease rarely occurs without any symptoms. Most often there is a chronic course with frequent relapses ( exacerbations).

Chlamydial conjunctivitis can be suspected during an exacerbation by the following symptoms:

• redness of the eyes;
• tearfulness;
• sticking of eyes in the morning;
• discharge from the eyes.

Lungs.

Lung damage due to chlamydia is relatively rare. Infection most often occurs in utero, which explains the high prevalence of the disease in newborns. In adults, respiratory chlamydia is much less common.

The main symptoms of chlamydial infection of the respiratory system are:

• moderate increase in temperature;
• moist rales in the lungs.

Leather.

Chlamydia is not able to directly infect skin cells, since they do not have the necessary set of enzymes for this. However, skin manifestations of chlamydia can be observed in generalized forms of the disease. They usually present as small areas of skin redness or rash ranging in size from 0.5 to 1 cm. Skin symptoms are localized in the genital area or ( less often) in the area of ​​the affected joints. The rash may be accompanied by moderate itching.

Joints.

Damage to joints due to chlamydia is often explained not by the entry of viable bacteria into them, but by the introduction of specific antigens through the bloodstream. As a result of the activity of bacteria or their death, fragments of chlamydia are spread throughout the body. They are recognized by the human immune system, which produces specific antibodies in response. Normally, antibodies should destroy bacteria, but with chlamydia this almost never happens.

The joints are affected precisely because antigens and antibodies are often found near them. This leads to severe inflammation. Antibiotics in this case will be practically useless. To reduce inflammation, it is sometimes necessary to resort to hormonal drugs that suppress the body’s immune response.

Joint damage with chlamydia most often occurs with a specific complication of the disease - Reiter's syndrome.

Larynx.

There are no areas of columnar epithelium in the larynx, which is well suited for the proliferation of chlamydia. However, if a large number of viable microbes enter, the infection can be localized to other types of epithelium. Chlamydia enters the larynx as a result of orogenital contact with infected partners. The infection takes root mainly in people with weakened immune systems. It must be said that this form of chlamydia is one of the most invisible. The disease practically does not make itself felt and does not pose a risk of infection.

Other organs.

Damage to other organs and systems is possible only with a generalized form of chlamydia, when viable bacteria enter the blood and spread throughout the body. Also, atypical localization occurs in newborns, to whom the infection was transmitted from the mother in utero, before birth.

In rare cases, generalized chlamydial infection can affect the following organs:

• peritoneum in the liver area;
• ducts

Chlamydia is a pathological process in the body, the causative agent of which is chlamydia. They can cause a whole range of damage to various organs in humans. Chlamydia cannot be classified as either a bacteria or a virus, but these microorganisms have the amazing ability to damage not only the external genitalia, but also the internal ones, disrupt the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, damage blood vessels and the heart, teeth and joints, and also cause conjunctivitis and otitis media.

However, most often these microorganisms are localized in the genitourinary system, causing chlamydia in women, the symptoms of which are sometimes minor, or the disease is chronic and asymptomatic. There are no characteristic, special signs of chlamydia in women, since it is impossible to determine without laboratory tests what type of infection causes the inflammatory process. Many women are interested in the answer to the question - how to treat chlamydia in women and what treatment regimens for chlamydia exist?

Ways of infection with chlamydia

The development of this disease in a particular organ depends on how the infection occurred. Methods of infection with chlamydia by frequency can be distributed as follows:

Chlamydia symptoms in women

How does chlamydia manifest in women? Unfortunately, difficulties in diagnosing and monitoring the treatment of this disease are caused by the fact that chlamydia often occurs asymptomatically in women. Symptoms of this disease are found in only 33% of women. However, the hidden course of the infectious process is no less dangerous, both for the woman herself, since it causes a number of complications and consequences, and for her sexual partner, increasing the risk of infection. Also, if untreated, chlamydia poses a potential risk to the unborn child if a woman becomes pregnant.

The incubation period of chlamydia is from 14 to 30 days. If sexual infection occurs, the first symptoms may appear two weeks after questionable sexual contact. When chlamydia enters a woman’s body, it goes through several stages:

• The first stage is the direct penetration of chlamydia into the mucous membrane.
• The second stage is intracellular reproduction, which in these microorganisms occurs somewhat differently than in other bacteria and viruses, since chlamydia is located inside the cells of the human body in the form of reticular bodies, under favorable conditions they begin active reproduction, and after 2-3 days the cell, in which they were located dies.
• The third stage is direct inflammation of the mucous membrane of the affected organ. After the cell in which the reticular bodies were located dies, fresh microorganisms enter the intercellular space and quickly attack new target cells.

Signs of chlamydia in women

Chlamydial infection can cause various disorders of the female reproductive system.

• Colpitis. After infection with chlamydia, symptoms are most often observed in the form of chlamydia colpitis, and is also localized in the glands located next to the vagina. This is especially true in girls, pregnant women and women during menopause, when there is a deficiency of estrogen in the body. In this case, women experience unpleasant sensations in the vagina - itching, burning, discharge, urination disorders, pain in the lower abdomen, lower back, and a slight increase in body temperature. .
• Cervicitis. With a long period of development of chlamydia, the cervix is ​​affected, causing cervicitis. In this case, the proliferation of microorganisms occurs in the cervical canal, and upon examination, the gynecologist sees that the cervix is ​​enlarged, swollen, and inflamed. If there is no treatment, then with cervicitis, the epithelium of the cervix becomes desquamated and erosion occurs.
• Salpingoophoritis, endometritis, salpingitis. When an infection ascends up the genital tract in a woman against the background of reduced immunity, constant stress and other favorable conditions for the proliferation of chlamydia, serious inflammatory processes of the female genital organs are possible, the diagnosis of which is carried out by a gynecologist based on examination and ultrasound data.

What kind of discharge does chlamydia cause in women?

Like any other sexually transmitted infection, chlamydia also manifests itself as pathological discharge, itching, burning, pain and even fever. It is impossible to determine chlamydia only by the nature of the discharge, since there are no distinctive features in its course. In addition, in addition to chlamydia, a woman may have other sexually transmitted infections, such as herpes, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, and thrush. Signs of chlamydia in women may include the following ailments:

• Temperature . In case of an acute process, a woman may have a subfebrile body temperature of 37-37.5C
• Pain can be insignificant, absent at all, or quite intense; it occurs in the lower abdomen, in the lumbar region.
• Urination. If the inflammatory process also affects the urethra, then all the symptoms of cystitis occur - frequent and painful urination, pain at the end and beginning of emptying the bladder, burning and cramping during urination.
• Discharge. Most often, discharge from chlamydia in women is mucopurulent in nature, white or yellowish in color, with a sharp, unpleasant odor. If, this may indicate the development of gardnerellosis. Because chlamydia creates favorable conditions that provoke the development of other infections.
• Burning. This symptom of chlamydia in women can also be observed on the mucous membrane of the genital organs, since the mucous membrane is the main place of activity of the pathogen.
• Cervical erosion. At a consultation with a gynecologist, during examination of the patient, slight bleeding on the mucous membrane of the cervix and erosive formations, which may be a sign of chlamydia, may be detected.

How to treat chlamydia in women

The problem of complex treatment of chlamydial infection in women should be solved taking into account the clinical picture of the patient. There are no ready-made algorithms or general treatment regimens for chlamydia in women, since in each specific case it is worth taking into account the state of the immune system, concomitant diseases, and the state of the intestinal microflora.

All information about drugs and treatment regimens is for informational purposes only. Treatment of chlamydia is carried out only by a qualified specialist based on test results, the patient’s medical history, and over time, taking into account the criteria for cure.

Antibiotics

• Tetracyclines: Doxycycline - Unidox Solutab, Dorix, Vibramycin, Vibra-Tabs.
• Macrolides: Azithromycin (Sumamed, Zithromax, Hemomycin), Josamycin (Vilprafen) and Clarithromycin (Clarbact, Fromilid Uno)
• Fluoroquinolones: Ofloxacin (Floxin, Zanotsin, Tarivid, Ofloxin), Levofloxacin (Tavanic, Glevo, Levostar, Flexid), Ciprofloxacin (Cifran, Tsiprobay, Tsiprinol, Cipro-bid), Spiramycin (Rovamycin), Norfloxacin (, norbactin), Lomefloxacin ( Lomflox), Sparfloxacin (Sparflo).

The presence of other infections - STIs - must be taken into account so that the choice of antibiotic is as effective as possible in case of mixed infection.

• Azithromycin 500 mg 2 tablets. once, or
• Doxycycline 0.1 twice a day for 7 days.

Second row:

• Erythromycin 500 mg 4 times a day for 6 hours 7 days
• Ofloxacin 300 mg twice daily every 12 hours for 7 days
• Roxithromycin 150 mg twice daily every 12 hours 7 days
• Spiramycin 3 million units every 8 hours 7 days

For pregnant:

• Erythromycin 500 mg every 6 hours 4 times a day for 7 days
• Josamycin 750 mg 3 times a day after 8 hours 7 days
• Spiramycin 3 million units every 8 hours 3 times a day for 7 days.

Both partners undergo therapy. In this case, tetracyclines can be used for the treatment of acute uncomplicated urethritis or cervicitis in previously untreated patients. Strains of chlamydia that are resistant to one of the tetracyclines also show resistance to other drugs in this group, that is, there is no point in changing drugs from one to another if they are ineffective within one group.

In practice, preference is given to 15-membered macrolides (Azithromycin) and 16-membered macrolides (Josamycin), resistant forms, chronic chlamydia are treated with fluoroquinolones. But this will be second-line therapy, since it is not advisable to prescribe fluoroquinolones right away, remembering that soon there will be nothing to treat tuberculosis. And fluoroquinolones are reserve drugs. For pregnant women, the approved drug today is Josamycin (Vilprafen), which is preferred by European standards.

The criterion for cure will be negative PCR of scrapings of the urogenital tract 1.5-2 months after the end of therapy.

Treatment regimens for chlamydia in women

Today, the treatment of chlamydia is a complex problem; the attending physician must be highly qualified and have knowledge in many related fields of medicine, since there are often situations when the prescription of even very effective, modern highly active antibiotics for chlamydia is erroneous, ineffective, and aggravates the course of the infectious process .

The choice of diagnostic method, the level of preparation of the laboratory material researcher, and the quality of test systems for diagnosis are very important in assessing the patient’s condition. Very often, mistakes made in diagnosis and treatment occur for the following reasons:

• The use of low-quality test systems, low professional training of laboratory assistants, non-compliance with delivery conditions and rules for taking material for analysis during diagnosis.
• Wrong choice of an effective treatment regimen for chlamydia and treatment tactics, as a result, treatment is unsuccessful.
• Late determination of the patient’s stage of cure.
• Illiterate interpretation of test results. If, after complex, staged treatment of urogenital chlamydial infection with the use of antibiotics, pathogens are again detected in control tests, taking a second course of antimicrobial drugs is not advisable. In such situations, laboratory results should be interpreted correctly. It is possible that an error has been detected in determining the criteria for cure, since after treatment, the collection of material for analysis in each method of laboratory diagnostics differs in terms of timing.

Treatment regimens for chlamydia in women, drugs for therapy, depend on the clinical symptoms of the disease, the severity of the process, the duration of the disease, the age of the patient and concomitant diseases.

With cervical ectopia in women, any treatment should begin only after the results, as well as a cytological examination of smears, which exclude or confirm precancerous conditions. In case of a negative result, local treatment can be supplemented with enzymes, agents that enhance proliferation, as well as drugs that cause tissue destruction.

Treatment of chlamydia in pregnant women should also be staged, comprehensive, taking into account all physiological contraindications. Among the antibiotics for chlamydia, the following drugs can be used in basic therapy: Rovamycin 3 million 3 times a day and Erythromycin 500 mg 4 times a day for 2 weeks. The administration of doxycycline and fluoroquinolones is strictly contraindicated for lactating and pregnant women.

Chlamydia in women - consequences of infection

All inflammatory processes that occur when chlamydial infection ascends to the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries can cause endometritis, salpingitis, and salpingoophoritis. The consequences of chlamydia can be expressed in the inability to conceive, infertility and increase the risk of developing malignant tumors in the future. Depending on the localization of the inflammatory process during the proliferation of chlamydia, the following consequences are possible:

• Uterine appendages (salpingoophoritis) and fallopian tubes (salpingitis) are very dangerous for women who want to get pregnant and give birth to a healthy child, since chlamydia is different in that it forms after inflammation. And this may be the cause of infertility (see).
• Cervix (endocervicitis) - with this localization, chlamydia significantly increases the risk of developing malignant processes in the cervix (see).
• Uterine mucosa (endometritis) - also makes it difficult for pregnancy to occur and may increase the risk of spontaneous abortion.
• Reiter's syndrome - chlamydial urethritis, conjunctivitis, arthritis.