Chlamydia Transmission: Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that is transmitted through sexual activity. It is observed to be the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease in the United States. An estimated 5 percent of the adult population are affected by the disease. Moreover, an estimated 10 percent of sexually active adolescent females are affected. So what exactly are the Chlamydia transmission causes? Where does chlamydia come from?
Infection with chlamydia is most typically found among:
- Young adults
- African Americans
- Individuals residing in urban areas and
- Individuals with lower economic and social status
Although prevalence is higher among these groups, anyone can contract chlamydia. It is a very easily transmitted disease that can be passed on from one person to the next through vaginal, oral or anal sex. It can also be passed on from an infected mother to her child at the time of birth.
Chlamydia causes either very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. Some people don’t even know that they have already been infected, and they can easily pass on the bacteria to another otherwise uninfected person. When the disease is left untreated, chlamydia causes several kinds of complications. Having been infected once and treated for the disease does not guarantee anyone immunity from getting re-infected in the future. Safe sex practice, communication between partners and practitioners, and awareness of the disease (especially symptoms and asymptomatic conditions) is key to preventing further Chlamydia transmission.
Chlamydia Transmission: Causes And Risk Factors
Chlamydia is actually caused by the bacterium known as chlamydia trachomatis. The bacterium has two means to infect a person. First, the bacterium can be transmitted from one individual to the next through closer personal contact like sexual intercourse. The contact can be either either vaginal, oral or anal. Chlamydia cannot be passed on to another person simply by casual contact (i.e.: shaking hands). Another way it can be transmitted is from an infected mother to her baby at the time of delivery. I happens when the baby passes through the birth canal. When a baby is infected, chlamydia causes severe eye infections (conjunctivitis). This is prevalent in developing countries.
Chlamydia Transmission
Similar to other sexually transmitted diseases, chlamydia is passed on during sexual intercourse when bodily fluids are exchanged. This occurs via mucous membranes in the genital areas, mouth and/or anus. There are typically no symptoms for this type of infection. Those who are already infected may unsuspectingly transmit the chlamydia bacteria to their sex partners.
So are you at risk for chlamydia infection? Chlamydia causes a major concern among young people these days. The key is to be educated about what STD’s are and that they CAN cause complications in the long run. Those complications include infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women. When complications are present, antibiotics will not be able to repair the permanent damage that has already been done. Women usually visit a physician for contraception or Pap smears (which have nothing to do with testing for chlamydia). It is important to consider the chlamydia transmission causes and risk factors as well. Those who are aware of what chlamydia causes take a test at least once a year. Visit the home page of Chlamydia Symptoms In Men.
