How contagious is it?
Chlamydia infection is relatively rare and not highly contagious like other bacteria. However, contact with sick people should be avoided, as the bacterium can also spread in the air. One sneeze is enough to release the bacteria from the respiratory tract.
Direct contact with infectious saliva should be avoided at all costs, as this is where the highest risk of infection exists. So drinking from a shared bottle or even kissing is considered taboo. Furthermore, caution should be exercised in contact with birds. If many birds are seriously ill, a veterinarian should be contacted for diagnosis and treatment. Until then, special precautions should be taken.
What could be the long-term consequences?
If the course of the disease is uncomplicated with appropriate therapy, the infection heals without consequences. In some rare cases, complications such as inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) or the heart valves (endocarditis) may occur. The myocarditis can become chronic and thus lead to heart failure.
Endocarditis causes the heart to be unable to pump properly and can lead to thromboses (blood clots) that block the vessels in other organs. For example, the thrombosis can clog vessels that lead to the brain, causing a stroke. Chlamydia can also affect the meninges (meningitis) and cause permanent neurological damage. If the therapy is too short, however, not all the bacteria have been destroyed and the infection may reoccur.
