Treatment of a Chlamydia infection

Introduction

Chlamydia infections are widespread. The transmission takes place through sexual intercourse. Chlamydia infections often do not cause any symptoms.

However, detection and treatment of chlamydia infection is very important, as it can have serious consequences such as infertility. Chlamydia is a bacterium. Therefore antibiotics are used for treatment. As a rule, the treatment is not complicated and antibiotics over a period of time are sufficient.

These treatments exist:

Antibiotic therapy Partner treatment

  • Antibiotic therapy
  • Partner treatment

Since Chlamydia, unlike many other bacteria, lives inside human cells, many antibiotics, such as penicillins, are not effective. Certain antibiotics must be used for treatment. Doxycycline, which belongs to the group of tetracyclines, is used as standard in the therapy.

A frequently used alternative are antibiotics from the group of macrolides. Erythromycin and azythromycin are the most commonly used antibiotics. Furthermore, antibiotics from the group of quinolones are also effective against Chlamydia.

Levofloxacin and Ofloxacin belong to the group of quinolones. Many bacteria have developed resistance to certain antibiotics. Fortunately, no development of resistance to antibiotics has yet been detected in chlamydia.

The duration of antibiotic administration depends on the antibiotic in question: the above mentioned duration of administration refers to normal chlamydia infections. In more complicated cases, antibiotics may have to be taken for much longer. – Doxycycline, which is usually prescribed, must be taken twice a day – once in the morning and once in the evening.

Doxycycline must be taken over a period of one week. – Azythromycin with 1.5 g of active ingredient, on the other hand, only needs to be taken once, as it is broken down by the body much more slowly. If azythromycin is prescribed 500mg, it must be taken once a day for 3 days.

  • Erythromycin 500mg is taken four times a day for 7 days. – Levofloxacin and Ofloxacin also need to be taken for a week at a time, Ofloxacin 300mg twice a day and Levofloxacin 500mg once a day. For an effective chlamydia treatment, an antibiotic must be used, as it specifically attacks the bacteria.

Also because of the serious consequences that can result from a chlamydia infection, an effective therapy with an antibiotic should be used. According to current scientific knowledge, there is unfortunately no known effective alternative to antibiotics with which a chlamydia infection can be successfully treated. After the therapy it is important to avoid a new infection with Chlamydia.

It is advisable to wear condoms, especially if the sexual partner changes frequently. – This can be done so that the infection recovers. There are many different products available.

When do you do a follow-up?

The follow-up check is only carried out six weeks after taking the antibiotic. Unfortunately, a meaningful check can only be carried out at this late stage, since the chlamydia RNA is detected during the check. However, the RNA can still be detected over a longer period of time after successful therapy, since chlamydia components can still be present on the genital skin for several weeks.

After six weeks it can be assumed that the last bacterial components have disappeared. The follow-up check is usually carried out with the help of urine, which is given to the doctor and sent by him to the laboratory. .