The subgroups
Chlamydia infections should be taken very seriously and treated from the very beginning due to possible consequences and difficulties in the course of the disease. ” and “What consequences can a chlamydia infection have?”. – Chlamydia trachomatis These chlamydia cause venereal diseases and also inflammation of the eye.
Chlamydia is still one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. About 10% of the population is infected with Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis), but about 80% of women and 50% of men do not show any symptoms of the infection. As a result, chlamydia infection is not detected and thus spreads more and more through unprotected intercourse.
The pathogens Chlamydia trachomatis cause conjunctivitis, the so-called trachoma, in tropical and subtropical regions. This is one of the most common causes of blindness there, but can easily be prevented with antibiotics. – Chlamydia pneumoniae This subgroup of chlamydia can cause inflammation of the bronchial tubes (bronchitis) and inflammation of the paranasal sinuses (sinusitis) and is widespread.
Sometimes they also lead to pneumonia (atypical pneumonia), which is usually mild and heals well. – Chlamydia psittaci This form of chlamydia is the pathogen that causes the so-called parrot disease (ornithosis), which humans can also be infected with (zoonosis). However, the disease occurs extremely rarely and is very similar to severe pneumonia in terms of symptoms.
The Therapy
If you are infected with Chlamydia, it is important that all sexual partners are examined and treated at the same time, otherwise there is a so-called “ping-pong effect” with repeated mutual infection. Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics, which must be taken for at least one week. In some cases, the treatment period is extended to 14 days.
Treatment of chlamydia is only effective with consistent antibiotic therapy, but there is an exceptional active substance (azithromycin) which only has to be taken once. If a chlamydia infection is diagnosed during pregnancy, treatment with erythromycin, amoxicillin or josamycin is carried out. Subsequently, an examination of the pregnant woman is necessary to establish with certainty that the therapy was successful.
If trachoma occurs, the doctor will prescribe a tetracycline eye ointment in the early stages, but surgery is necessary in the advanced stages. The therapy of chlamydial infection depends on the specific subspecies of the bacteria. The location of the infection also plays a role.
If the respiratory tract is affected by Chlamydia psittaci, antibiotic therapy with doxycycline should be carried out for two to three weeks. Antibiotic therapy of the venereal disease caused by Chlamydia trachomatis species is also carried out with doxycycline. The use of other antibiotics such as macrolides is also possible.
It is important in the treatment of the venereal disease that the respective sexual partner is also treated. In this way a so-called ping-pong effect, in which the sexual partners repeatedly reinfect each other, can be avoided. If the Chlamydia infection only affects the eyes, it may be possible to refrain from systemic therapy or combine it with antibiotic eye drops.
It is not advisable to treat chlamydia infection without antibiotics. Early antibiotic therapy is important for a good healing of the disease, as this can prevent the spread of the infection. Without adequate therapy, chlamydia infestation of the eyes can lead to a deterioration of vision and even blindness.
A pneumonia caused by chlamydia can become established and thus cause severe lung damage, possibly leading to a scattering of the bacteria in the blood and thus to blood poisoning. In the case of the venereal disease caused by Chlamydia, the internal sexual organs can be affected without therapy, so that if the disease spreads rapidly, fertility can be reduced or even infertility can occur. Treatment of the sexual partner only plays a role in urogenital chlamydia infection.
It is important that both partners are treated simultaneously. In this way, a ping-pong effect can be avoided, in which the sexual partners reinfect each other after treatment. Before, during and shortly after the therapy, sexual intercourse should also be avoided or maximum protected sexual intercourse should take place to prevent further transmission.
