How chlamydia is transmitted: characteristics of the pathogen and main routes of transmission. Transmission of chlamydia through household means (domestic infection with chlamydia) Is it possible not to become infected with chlamydia from a patient?

Today, there are many infections that are transmitted from person to person in a variety of ways. For example, how is chlamydia transmitted?

This common infectious disease is caused by intracellular bacteria - chlamydia. These pathogens affect the reproductive system of both men and women. Millions of people around the world are infected every year. According to statistics, this is the most common sexually transmitted disease.

Description of the disease

Chlamydia is an infectious disease that can harm both the genitourinary system and other organs of the human body.

Key points:

1. Often the infection is localized in the pelvic organs.
2. The risk of developing pathology in the throat.
3. The disease spreads through the lymphatic system, concentrating in the joints and organs.
4. Pathology can harm the lungs, thereby causing pneumonia.
5. Infects the organs of vision, causing.

Pathogenic microorganisms of chlamydia are relatively larger than viruses, but smaller than bacteria. Having penetrated the body, they may not manifest themselves in any way, that is, the pathology is asymptomatic. As a result, a sick person may not be aware of the problem, and in the future is able to infect household members, close people and sexual partners.

To prevent the development of infection, you should familiarize yourself with the methods of infection with chlamydia.

Routes of infection

It is important to understand that infection occurs through any type of sexual contact:

• anal;
• oral;
• vaginal

Women are most susceptible to infection, since the penetration of pathogenic pathogens into the male urogenital canal is difficult. Along with this, some chlamydia are washed off the next time you urinate.

During vaginal intercourse without using a condom, chlamydia directly penetrates the vagina. In such a situation, the risk of infection for a woman is 100%. During anal sexual intercourse, microorganisms end up in the rectum, where they concentrate.

Is chlamydia transmitted orally? The answer is positive - in this case, the pathology is localized in the throat. This location is difficult to identify and diagnose.

From the above it follows that in order to avoid infection, a permanent partner is necessary, and in case of spontaneous intimacy, a condom must be used.

other methods

There are other ways of transmitting the disease.

Chlamydia can be transmitted through kissing only if:

• the integrity of the mucous membrane of the lips or tongue is compromised;
• there is inflammation in oral cavity, for example stomatitis;
• There are gum diseases, in which blood comes out and, consequently, enters the saliva.

In other situations, the possibility of transmitting the disease through a kiss is excluded. Is it possible to become infected with chlamydia through domestic means? There are conditions and ways of transmission in this regard.

In adults, infestation can occur:

• when using shared sex toys, such as a vibrator, and other personal accessories;
• when using someone else's underwear with pathogenic secretions;
• using a towel from an infected person.

Household chlamydia is dangerous for those who have the habit of using other people's toothbrushes, razors and other personal items.

Rarely, but still possible, infection occurs when visiting swimming pools and saunas. This is due to the fact that water may contain great amount viruses that provoke the development of chlamydia.

Children can also become infected, and there are several ways of infection. The greatest danger is the vertical transmission of chlamydia, which is usually detected in newborns. During pregnancy, bacteria are not able to penetrate the amniotic sac, but the baby can become infected as it passes through the birth canal during childbirth. In the first days of life, the baby’s immune system is weakened, which can also contribute to airborne transmission of the disease from the mother.

Invasion of chlamydia through pets is not excluded - these can be dogs, cats and other animals. To prevent infection, it is necessary to vaccinate pets and monitor their health.

Symptoms

Unfortunately, the symptoms of infection are very insignificant, which affects the complex diagnosis, and therefore timely therapy.

The following signs are distinguished in case of a pronounced course:

• unreasonable increase in body temperature;
• the appearance of clear discharge from the urethra;
• urination may occur with pain and a burning sensation;
• damage to the organ of vision - redness of the mucous membranes;
• lung damage - cough, inflammation.

Due to the fact that the above symptoms are similar to manifestations of other diseases, it is necessary to urgently go to see a therapist.

Complications

The danger of the disease is due to its active spread throughout the body, which can cause numerous complications:

• circinar balanitis;
• Reiter's syndrome;
• urethral stricture;
• orchiepididymitis with possible cessation of sperm production;
• prostatitis in chronic form;
• inflammation of the female genital organs (pelvis).

In pregnant women, the disease can cause miscarriage, serious developmental defects, and infection of the child during childbirth. A certain pattern has been discovered: in newborn boys, the membrane of the eyes is initially affected, and in girls, the genital organ is affected.

Prevention

If you know how this disease is contracted, you can prevent accidental infection. To do this, you just need to adhere to the rules of personal hygiene and carry out general preventive measures.

If any alarming symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor: only a specialist can diagnose this infectious disease. To confirm your guesses, the doctor will prescribe tests, and if an illness is detected, appropriate treatment.

Nowadays, everyone needs to know how they can become infected with chlamydia and other STDs. This pathology can cause damage to various organs of the human body: the pathogen enters the lymphatic system, joints and other body systems.

The disease can be effectively treated only if it is detected in a timely manner. Women and men need to be examined at least once annually by appropriate specialists.

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease. It refers to intracellular infections, which makes the diagnosis and treatment of the disease complicated. The main route of transmission is unprotected sexual intercourse. An infected pregnant woman can pass the infection to her baby. This pathology requires complex and long-term treatment with toxic drugs. The infection can affect any organs and systems, causing serious Negative consequences for the body.

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  Description of the disease

  Chlamydia is an infectious disease caused by chlamydia (a special type - chlamydia trachomatis). Amazes genitourinary system, provoking the development of the urogenital form.

  The infection affects more than 100 million people every year. It is considered one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. Pathogens are larger than a virus, but smaller than bacteria, which makes them common, as well as difficult to diagnose and treat.

  The main method of infection is. Chlamydia is transmitted through vaginal, oral and anal contact. After penetration into the human body, microorganisms spread through the blood and lymph flow to all organs and systems.

  Chlamydia provokes pathologies such as conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, pneumonia, cholecystitis, and pelvioperitonitis.

  Types of infection

  The disease is quite insidious, because the pathogen comes in several types, differing in their special structure. They are designated with Latin letters: A, B, Ba, D-K, I-3. For example, I-3 chlamydia provokes the development of a tropical disease - lymphogranuloma venereum. Types D-K cause damage to the genital organs. There are pathological organisms that cause a serious disease - trachoma.

  The development of the disease is caused by the introduction of chlamydia D-K. They are able to live and reproduce in the host’s body, and can also exist outside the human body for quite a long time.

  

  Transmission routes

  The most common mechanism of transmission is through sexual intercourse. Unprotected sex, even oral sex, leads to the infection being transmitted from person to person. The probability of becoming infected in this case is about 60%. Chlamydia can also be spread through household means, provided that someone else's toothbrushes, razors or any personal hygiene items are used, but this is rare.

  The risk of infection increases in the presence of microtraumas on the skin and mucous membranes.

  Vertical transmission - from mother to child - is a fairly common cause of infection. If a woman has chlamydia during pregnancy, there is a risk of infection of the fetus. Some types of the disease can be transmitted from animals and birds: you can become infected, for example, from a domestic cat.

  

  Hygiene items through which chlamydia is transmitted

  According to many studies, the pathogen is also present in saliva. Theoretically, infection through a kiss is possible, but in practice the probability is too low.

  

  Incubation period

  Once chlamydia trachomatis enters the genital tract of a woman or man, it takes a certain time for it to begin active reproduction. More often incubation period is about 2 weeks, although it can last up to a month.

  

  Reproduction of chlamydia

  After entering the human body, the microorganism goes through several stages:

  • Penetration into the mucous membrane.
  • Reproduction withincells. Unlike other viruses and bacteria, chlamydia is represented by reticular bodies and begins to divide if there are enough resources for this. suitable conditions. After 2-3 days, the cell in which the chlamydia was located dies.
  • Manifestation of symptoms. The last stage is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the organ that was affected. The cell dies, reticular bodies come out and attack healthy cells. Reproduction of organisms occurs, which requires about 14 days.

  Manifestations of chlamydia in men

  The microorganism most often causes inflammatory disease of the urethra - urethritis. It manifests itself as pain and burning when urinating. Over a long period of time, it promotes the formation of scars and narrowing of the lumen of the urethra.

  Inflammation of the testicles and their appendages (orchiepididymitis) is manifested by an increase in the size of the organs. Accompanied by severe pain and local inflammatory reactions. The consequence may be infertility or decreased testosterone levels.

  
  

  Prostatitis is an inflammatory lesion of the prostate gland. Involvement of this organ in the process occurs several weeks after infection with the ascending movement of chlamydia through the urinary tract. As the disease develops, a number of common symptoms are observed:

  • groin pain;
  • problems with urination;
  • discharge from the urethra.

  With a long process, the structures of prostate tissue are disrupted, which leads to infertility and impaired spermatogenesis.

  First signs and symptoms in women

  Characteristic manifestations of the disease in women may be absent. Pathological symptoms appear in only a third of infected people. The latent course is dangerous not only for the patient, but also for her sexual partner. If an infected woman becomes pregnant, chlamydia can harm the baby in the womb.

  Self-monitoring of signs and discharge does not provide specific information about the presence of chlamydia. These symptoms also accompany other diseases: herpes, thrush, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis.

  The disease can be suspected by the following signals:

  • An increase in temperature to subfebrile levels (observed in acute pathology).
  • Occurrence of pain varying degrees intensity. Localization: lower abdomen, lower back.
  • Symptoms of cystitis when the urethra is involved in the inflammatory process (cutting pain at the beginning and end of urination).
  • Non-standard discharge - mucopurulent, with a yellow tint and an unpleasant odor. In this case, they may be a consequence of not only chlamydial infection.
  • Burning and discomfort in the groin.
  • Cervical erosion can also indicate chlamydia.

  Many symptoms can only be detected by a gynecologist during an examination.

  Laboratory diagnostic methods

  Diagnosis is quite problematic. Its complexity is associated with the characteristics of the life of the infection. Chlamydia is an intracellular microorganism that can penetrate and live in host cells, which are often the epithelium of the mucous membranes of the genital organs. This is what is associated with repeated relapses of chronic diseases.

  If chlamydia persists intracellularly, then when favorable conditions occur it is activated, causing an exacerbation of the chronic process. Attempts at treatment lead to chronic inflammation of the genitourinary organs and resistant forms of the microorganism.

  Chlamydia is often combined with other infections that are provoked by opportunistic microorganisms. They are present in the human body normally, but if the immune defense deteriorates, they can cause infectious diseases.

  Conventionally, methods for diagnosing chlamydia are divided according to the principle on which they are based. Today the following are used:

  • rapid tests;
  • smear;
  • immunofluorescence reaction;
  • serological methods;
  • linked immunosorbent assay;
  • cultural method;
  • DNA methods.
  
  

  It is impossible to highlight the most optimal method diagnosis of chlamydia, since each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages:

  Diagnostic method	Description
  Express tests	Mini-tests, or rapid tests, can be purchased at any pharmacy. They are intended for use at home. When bacteria come into contact with a sensitive strip, antibodies bind to the microorganisms and stain it. At positive result two bars are visible in the reading window. The sensitivity of the method varies between 20-50%
  Mucosal smear	Examination of the discharge of the genitourinary organs under a microscope. In women, a smear is taken from the walls of the vagina, cervix or external urethral opening. In men - from the urethra (in some cases, prostate secretions are analyzed). Microscopic examination is quite simple, inexpensive and fast. The sensitivity of the method in relation to chlamydia is low and amounts to no more than 15-30%. The smear shows a pattern of chronic inflammation, which suggests possible infection with chlamydia
  Immunofluorescence reaction	Requires highly qualified laboratory technicians and sophisticated equipment. To carry out the reaction, the smear is stained with fluorescent dyes. This makes chlamydia appear glowing. The method is extremely accurate, but only a small number of professionals are able to use it, so the sensitivity is estimated at 70%. This is due to the fact that other opportunistic microorganisms are also stained with fluorescent dyes. In addition, only one type of chlamydia is detected. Advantage - high execution speed
  Serological methods	To diagnose chlamydial infection, one standard method is used - the component binding test. It involves the use of special antibodies that bind to pathogens. then they are fixed in a complex. The method is quick and quite simple, but gives many false positive results. Has low specificity
  PCR method	The sensitivity is quite high - up to 99%. The main disadvantage is that diagnostics require a specially equipped laboratory and qualified personnel. It is necessary to maintain sterility at all stages, otherwise there may be false positive results. To carry out the test, a set of reagents from various manufacturers is used, the sensitivity of which may differ
  Ligase chain reaction	Refers to DNA methods. One of the most modern, allows in urine. Sensitivity and specificity reach 100%. The method is superior to all others, including the cultural one. For research, it is enough to collect urine in a container. However, conducting the test is quite labor-intensive and requires highly qualified personnel and special equipment.
  Culture method	It consists in the fact that the discharge from the genitourinary organs is planted on a special nutrient medium. For several days, the seeded material is placed in a special incubator. After some time, provided that the test sample contains chlamydia, it will grow on the surface in the form of specific colonies. This method allows you to determine sensitivity to antibiotics and never gives false positive results. The disadvantage is the duration - it takes several days to grow microorganisms

  Chlamydia therapy

  Treatment must be comprehensive. The infection is almost impossible to completely cure with just one type of antibiotic. In addition to antibacterial therapy, medications are used to stimulate the immune system, increase the body's protective properties, and normalize the intestinal microflora and mucous membranes. Measures are being taken to eliminate chronic diseases.

  Concomitant treatment is often carried out as a preparatory step before prescribing antibiotics - to minimize their toxic effects.

  Preparing for treatment

  To normalize the intestinal microflora, drugs from the group of eubiotics (Bifidumbacterin, Linex, Hilak forte) are used. Additionally assigned:

  • Hepatoprotectors. Used in case of liver damage.
  • Enzyme preparations. Used if there is a disease of the pancreas with enzyme deficiency (Festal, Panzinorm, Creon).
  • Other medications for the treatment of pathologies of the digestive system.

  Preparation for treatment includes a general blood test to exclude pyelonephritis. If this disease is detected, additional use of diuretics and the selection of effective antibiotics against the pathogen are necessary. For this purpose, a urine culture antibioticogram is performed.

  The duration of the preparatory stage is individual and depends on the presence of chronic diseases, but rarely exceeds 2-4 weeks and is monitored by the attending physician.

  The need for this stage is that therapy for chlamydia requires the use of fairly toxic drugs and long-term dosage regimens, breaks in which are extremely undesirable. If you stop using the antibacterial agent, chlamydia becomes insensitive to it.

  Related chronic diseases with long-term treatment with high doses of toxic drugs, they can worsen, which is an indication for their withdrawal. This is why the patient is prepared and the body is stabilized.

  • Tetracycline, Doxycycline.
  • Azithromycin, Erythromycin, Midecamycin.
  • Ofloxacin.

  Before prescribing the drug, you need to conduct a full examination - this will help avoid serious complications. Only a doctor can adequately draw up a treatment regimen and monitor the process. For chlamydia, self-medication and traditional methods are categorically unacceptable.

  Immune stimulation

  Stimulation of the body's defenses is achieved by reducing emotional stress, normalizing the daily routine, increasing activity, healthy nutrition.These methods are complemented by the prescription of the following drugs:

  • Vitamins from the group of antioxidants(A, C, E), which reduce the toxic effects of chlamydia on the body and promote the restoration of damaged tissues.
  • Immunala- a herbal preparation used to stimulate immune cells. The processes of eliminating infection and tissue restoration under its influence occur more actively. The medication has contraindications that must be excluded before starting use.

  Immunostimulating therapy is prescribed individually.

  Prevention

  Optimal prevention is to avoid factors leading to infection:

  • Decreased number of sexual partners. The risk of infection increases significantly if you have promiscuous sex.
  • Use of protective equipment in case of accidental contact. Preference should be given to a condom.
  • If there is a suspicion of a partner’s infidelity, conduct serological and bacteriological tests for STDs annually.
  • Immediate initiation of treatment if chlamydia is detected.
  • Stop sexual intercourse for the duration of therapy. None of the protection methods is 100% guaranteed.
  • Carrying out a full course of treatment and subsequent diagnosis of the condition.
  
  

  Consequences of chlamydia

  Women experience diseases of the pelvic organs, which manifest themselves in the form of inflammation:

  • fallopian tubes (salpingitis);
  • vagina (colpitis);
  • fallopian tubes and ovaries (salpingoophoritis);
  • cervix (cervicitis);
  • inner lining of the uterus (endometritis).

  These ailments can lead to the appearance of adhesions that cause infertility, ectopic pregnancy and miscarriages early stages. Due to the development of infection, pathologies such as placentitis, chorioamnionitis and perihepatitis may appear in the body.

  Pregnant women often experience:

  • intrauterine infection;
  • premature rupture of membranes;
  • fetal death;
  • postpartum endometritis.

  The presence of chlamydial infection significantly reduces the chances of successful in vitro fertilization.

  In some cases, the infection does not affect the genitals, but, for example, the rectum, causing proctitis. When the pathogen enters the pharynx, pharyngitis develops, and pyelonephritis develops in the kidneys. There is also pneumonia caused by chlamydia.

  The disease often develops in children. Infection occurs in utero or through the birth canal. Sometimes household methods are possible (through the bed).

  Another pathology caused by chlamydia is Reiter's disease. This is a complex disease characterized by the occurrence of urethritis, conjunctivitis and arthritis simultaneously. Sometimes inflammatory diseases of the skin and mucous membranes are added to them. Disorders develop in patients with chlamydia who have a histocompatibility antigen, which is inherited. It can be detected in 90% of patients. It has not yet been revealed how it works, but it has been established that the risk of developing seronegative arthritis in such people is 40 times higher.

  
  

  The disease begins with diarrhea. After two weeks, urethritis appears with mild symptoms. After another couple of weeks, a sharp exacerbation of the process occurs: the temperature rises to 38 degrees and pain in the joints. The disease can affect all organs and systems.

  Diagnosis cure

  To assess the effectiveness of the treatment, diagnostic procedures are necessary. Cure criteria:

  • Negative PCR result. The study is carried out no earlier than 4 weeks after the end of the course of antibiotic therapy. Early diagnosis may result in a false negative result.
  • Decreased IgG titer to a level of less than 1 in 16 and the disappearance of lgM, which is an additional criterion.
  • Fading of clinical signs of diseases(cervicitis, prostatitis, urethritis). Inflammatory processes can also be caused by concomitant infections, therefore the presence of inflammation or the disappearance of the main clinical symptoms cannot serve as the basis for assessing the effectiveness of treatment.

Every year, about 100 million people from all over the world become infected with chlamydia. According to numerous studies and WHO data, chlamydial infection is considered the most common pathology transmitted through sexual contact. This is due to the almost imperceptible course of the disease and the long-term existence of bacteria in the body without severe symptoms.

Most often, chlamydia infection occurs through sexual contact. Infection with chlamydia is also possible through household, airborne and contact routes.

Is chlamydia transmitted through household means, what methods of transmission of chlamydia infection exist, and how to avoid infection with chlamydia - we’ll talk about this in the article.

Methods of infection with chlamydia

Depending on the state of the immune system, the nature and characteristics of the infection, chlamydia has the following routes of infection:

Sexual tract

This is the most common way of acquiring chlamydial infection, occurring in 70-90% of cases. Unprotected vaginal, anal or oral intimacy leads to the fact that the carrier of the infection, who may not be aware of the disease, infects his sexual partners. With a single sexual intercourse, the probability of contracting the virus is more than 60%. Through the mucous membranes of the lower parts of the urogenital system, rectum, and oral cavity, chlamydia penetrates the human body, after which, together with lymph or blood, they spread to other organs and functional systems.

Household way

Is it possible to become infected with chlamydia? in a household way? There are no officially confirmed medical facts on this question. However, some studies have shown that chlamydia can be stored on household objects for 24 hours (fabric, toilet lid, etc.) and penetrate the body of a healthy person. In this case, the room temperature should be within 18-20 degrees. Therefore, the likelihood of infection with chlamydia in everyday life is still present.

Mostly household chlamydia affects the mucous membranes of the eyes and genitourinary system. Chlamydial infection is resistant to exposure external environment, therefore, when sharing personal hygiene and household items, mass infection can occur. Infection is also possible through water in public showers, swimming pools, and ponds.

Contact path

Contact infection with chlamydia occurs through the uterus in the following situations:

• Surgical termination of pregnancy;
• Installation of an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD);
• Using a urinary catheter (men are predominantly infected this way).

Chlamydia can also enter the uterine cavity along with sperm from an infected partner.

Airborne path

Chlamydia infection can enter the body through the lungs. In this case, the disease is epidemic or sporadic (non-permanent) in nature. The following types of chlamydia are most often transmitted in this way:

• Chlamydophila pneumoniae - from an infected person, affecting the lungs and bronchi;
• Chlamydophila abortus - through the meat of an infected animal, through dust;
• Chlamydophila felis - through injuries caused by an infected cat;
• Chlamydophila psittaci - from birds.

Another common route of infection with chlamydia is from a mother to a newborn child who suffered the disease during pregnancy.

Once in the human body, the virus provokes the development of inflammatory processes in the bladder, prostate and testicles, as well as female and male infertility. If an infected woman becomes pregnant due to infection, its progression leads to miscarriage. With repeated infections with chlamydia, the risk of adverse consequences increases.

How to avoid getting chlamydia

Since chlamydia is most often transmitted through sexual contact, the right way To avoid infection - to have a regular sexual partner. However, this also has its own nuances - your partner may have other intimate relationships or be infected before you met.

It is impossible to completely protect yourself using barrier contraception (condoms). Chlamydia is not transmitted through a condom, but there are other ways of contracting the infection when using this contraceptive:

• Some people use a condom exclusively before ejaculation, and not during the entire sexual encounter;
• The contraceptive is put on immediately before sexual intercourse. In this case, the infection can get on the bed during foreplay (foreplay);
• Damage to the condom;
• Incorrect use;
• Repeated use.

When visiting swimming pools or public showers, you need to use only your own hygiene items (towel, washcloth, soap).

Unlike genital and oral, household chlamydia is less common. If you adhere to the rules of personal hygiene and use individual products for the mucous membranes of the genitals, mouth and eyes, the risk of infection with chlamydia is significantly reduced.

If you notice the first signs of chlamydia infection, contact a venereologist who, through laboratory diagnostics, will determine the type of infection and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Attention! This article is posted for informational purposes only and under no circumstances constitutes scientific material or medical advice and is not intended to replace a face-to-face consultation with a healthcare professional. For diagnostics, diagnosis and treatment, contact qualified doctors!

Number of reads: 2891 Publication date: 10/03/2017

Chlamydia is an infectious sexually transmitted disease, which is considered the most common among sexually transmitted diseases. The basis for its occurrence is reproduction.

About 100 million people suffer from the disease every year. Every year this figure increases. This is due to the fact that chlamydia in the initial stages is asymptomatic. The disease is most often diagnosed in men and women aged 20 to 40 years.

Recently, there has been a significant increase in chlamydia not only among adults, but also among adolescents.

The main reasons for the development of the disease are unprotected sexual contact and casual sexual relationships.

People with low immunity are especially susceptible to chlamydia. Chlamydia in certain cases causes the development of gynecological diseases and infertility.

In addition, it can be combined with gonorrhea, thrush, syphilis, ureaplasma and trichomoniasis, which complicates treatment.

Chlamydia is a bacterium that reproduces inside cells. They are capable of not expressing themselves long time and suppress the body's defense mechanisms.

When immunity decreases, bacteria begin to multiply and cause clinical manifestations.

It takes up to two weeks from the moment of infection until symptoms appear. To date, fifteen types of chlamydia are known that can cause eye damage, internal organs and lymph nodes.

It is very important to know how chlamydia is transmitted. This will help avoid the development of the disease. Most often, the infection is transmitted sexually.

Chlamydia is an obligate bacteria that reproduces inside human cells. They have only two life forms and have the ability to exist hidden.

A person may not be aware of their presence in the body for a long time until a certain point in the development of chlamydia.

Each individual type of bacteria has its own characteristics, routes of infection and requires a special approach to treatment.

Important! Every person needs to know how chlamydia is transmitted and the routes of transmission of the infection in order to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Routes of transmission

In most cases, the disease is transmitted sexually. Chlamydia has several routes of infection in women: vaginal, oral or anal. Even during oral sex, it is necessary to use contraceptives.

The disease can be transmitted to children during childbirth from a sick mother. Scientists have proven that bacteria can remain on household items for about two days. In this case, it is possible that the organs of vision may become infected through the hands.

Sexual contact

Chlamydia, compared to other sexually transmitted diseases, has a low chance of infection.

During unprotected sexual contact, according to various sources, the risk of developing the disease is up to 65%.

For women, this problem is more pressing, since chlamydia is transmitted directly to the genitourinary system, which has the shape of a cylinder, due to which the area for bacteria to multiply is much larger than in the male body.

Important! From an epidemiological point of view, this route of disease transmission is the most basic. It is the urogenital form of the disease that is not prone to symptoms.

Often people are unaware of the presence of the disease and continue to infect their sexual partners.

Therefore, it is necessary to undergo regular examinations and understand how chlamydia is transmitted and the routes of transmission. Reliable protection can only be provided by the use of condoms during sexual intercourse.

Oral

It is very important to know what chlamydia is and how it is transmitted. One way of infection is oral contact. During it, bacteria from the genital tract of one partner enter the woman’s oral mucosa.

If a man is a carrier of chlamydia, the method of infection in this case through the oral route is quite possible. Even with such contact, it is necessary to use contraceptives.

Anal-genital

If a man has chlamydia in his body, infection can occur through the anal-genital route. Just as with traditional sexual contact, the woman or passive partner most often becomes infected.

Through saliva

In order for chlamydia infection to occur, contact with the mucous membrane with a sufficient content of bacteria is necessary in severe forms of chlamydia.

This method of infection in women is not common and occurs in exceptional cases.

The epithelium of the oral cavity is multilayered and unsuitable for the proliferation of chlamydia. For their life, more suitable conditions in the oral cavity.

The likelihood of infection through a kiss with a partner is almost zero, but in theory it exists.

For infection to occur, the saliva of the infected partner must be swallowed. But it is also worth considering that it must contain a sufficient number of bacteria.

At the same time, they must leave the oral cavity as quickly as possible, since the protective mechanisms of saliva can neutralize bacteria in a short time.

Airborne

Chlamydia has several routes of infection. Including airborne droplets. It is possible, but it is very rare in medical practice.

A person who is a carrier of chlamydia must release huge amounts of bacteria when sneezing and coughing. But even this amount will not be enough to infect a nearby person.

In addition, pneumonia caused by chlamydia is quite rare.

Contact and household

With established chlamydia, infection occurs through household contact with common household objects. This method has no epidemiological significance.

The percentage of disease detection in the overall structure is quite small.

This method usually causes infection within the family; children, when visiting kindergarten and visitors to swimming pools and saunas. This happens as a result of using other people's hygiene products.

The risk of infection may be:

• towels;
• napkins;
• bed dress;
• underwear;
• washcloths;
• toilet items.

A household method of infection is possible due to the resistance of chlamydia to environment. They usually remain viable for two days. But in damp household items they can last up to five days.

In addition, in medical practice there are cases where infection occurred when water was reused for washing or procedures were used. In this case, chlamydial conjunctivitis occurs, and the analysis from the urethra will be negative.

Important! It is almost impossible to become infected through water in pools or beaches, since a large concentration of bacteria is required for infection.

Conclusion

Every person should know about chlamydia, what it leads to, how it is treated, and how it is transmitted. This will help not only avoid infection, but also prevent the spread of infection.

Since chlamydia is most often infected through sexual contact, you should avoid random connections and use condoms.

In contact with

There are many myths and speculations associated with any sexually transmitted diseases. Particularly interesting are the versions of where the infection comes from. Chlamydia was no exception. After all, pathology occupies a leading position among STDs. Let's try to figure out how exactly chlamydia is transmitted, and which versions of infection are simply fiction.

No one is immune from infection with chlamydia, so it is important to know the ways of transmission of the disease

Features of transmission of infection

All types of bacteria belonging to the chlamydialysis family are pathogenic microorganisms that infect the cells of living beings. They have a tendency to remain latent for a long time, which increases the risk of transmission of infection in the absence of characteristic symptoms.

The difficulty of detecting the activity of pathogenic microorganisms is due to their dual nature. They, like viruses, are able to penetrate cells and rapidly multiply, infecting new and healthy tissue. At the same time, they have the characteristics of bacteria, that is, they can infect cell walls, and also reproduce by simple division.

According to the latest classification, all varieties of chlamydia are divided into 4 families and 5 genera, each of which includes from 1 to 6 species. Moreover, each type of chlamydia has its own transmission routes, specific clinical manifestations when the body is affected, and require a special approach to treatment.

The routes of transmission and the likelihood of infection depend on the type of chlamydia

Fortunately, a person cannot become infected with all types of chlamydia. Therefore, we will consider the specifics of the most common and dangerous bacteria that can be transmitted to humans in a variety of ways.

All strains of this subspecies cause anthropozoonotic diseases that can be transmitted to humans from animals or birds. Bacteria are transmitted by airborne dust or airborne droplets. Therefore, they pose a danger, first of all, to people who are in close contact with birds: poultry farm workers, veterinarians. However, one should not exclude the risk of infection from pets, primarily parrots, as well as from poultry.

Primary damage to the respiratory system during psittacosis later results in problems with nervous system, parenchymal organs.

It should be borne in mind that this disease does not have specific methods of prevention. Therefore, only timely identification of its sources, as well as disinfection of the premises where poultry are kept, helps prevent the spread of infection.

You can most often become infected with Chlamydia psittaci through contact with birds.

Chlamydia pneumoniae

– a common type of infection that provokes inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. Bacteria are transmitted by airborne droplets from a sick person or animal. Often the symptoms of the pathology are perceived as manifestations of ordinary colds, and treatment tactics are chosen incorrectly. To make a correct diagnosis, sputum samples are taken for analysis. It is detected more often in men than in women. Children and elderly people suffer because their immunity is not able to fight this type of infection. Moreover, cases of reinfection are not uncommon.

Data from recent medical studies confirm the connection of this type of bacteria with the development bronchial asthma, as well as with atherosclerosis.

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common bacteria that exclusively affects humans. This is what we are talking about when chlamydia is diagnosed. They provoke a wide range of various complications and diseases, but, first of all, the development of urogenital pathologies.

Most often, Chlamydia trachomatis enters the body through sexual contact.

It is when these chlamydia are identified that the transmission routes of infection are of most interest to patients. After all, there is a high probability of infecting not only a sexual partner, but also children. The main mode of transmission is considered to be sexual and downward, but cases of infection also occur through household contacts. Therefore, it is worth considering the options for where such an infection could come from in more detail.

There are other types of chlamydia, such as Chlamydophila abortus, which affects sheep, and Chlamydophila felis, which is found in cats. But these types of bacteria are practically harmless to humans. Although in medical practice, isolated cases of transmission from animals to humans through direct contact have been recorded.

Sexual transmission

Sexual contact is the main method of transmission of infection. It is promiscuous sex life that significantly increases the risk of infection. To some extent, you can protect sexual intercourse by using a condom. But it should be borne in mind that barrier contraceptives do not always provide reliable protection from infection.

Chlamydia is often transmitted from a partner during sexual intercourse

Moreover, you can become infected not only through traditional contact, but also through anal and oral sex. With this method of infection, the disease is much more dangerous, since the digestive organs and respiratory tract are directly affected.

After infection, a person may not suspect the presence of infection for a long time, since the incubation period can last quite a long time. With weakened immunity, pathogenic microorganisms become more active and begin to spread throughout the body.

But even in the active phase, the disease can be asymptomatic, which makes the carrier of the infection potentially dangerous to others. In women, the disease is detected much more often, which cannot be said about men. But this is explained both by the lower immune capabilities of the female body and by the fact that women visit a gynecologist more often and undergo specific examinations.

In any case, when one of the partners is diagnosed with chlamydia, the probability that the other is infected reaches 90%. Therefore, both should be examined and undergo treatment.

You can reduce the likelihood of contracting chlamydia through sexual contact if you use contraceptives

Important! During treatment for chlamydia, any sexual contact is stopped to prevent reinfection.

Vertical mode of transmission of infection

Chlamydia can be transmitted from mother to child both during gestation and during its passage through the birth canal. Both methods are quite common and dangerous for the child. It happens that a mother infects her baby during breastfeeding.

Intrauterine infection can provoke:

• abnormalities of intrauterine development;
• abortion;
• placental abruption.
• premature birth.

Chlamydia can be transmitted from mother to child

Therefore, women are required to undergo screening for sexually transmitted infections during pregnancy.

The difficulty of treating an expectant mother lies in the inability to prescribe strong antibiotics. At the same time, there are adequate treatment regimens that are used during pregnancy.

Airborne route of infection

Many patients are interested in how dangerous household contacts with a sick person are, whether it is possible to become infected through a kiss, saliva, or sneezing.

It is extremely difficult to become infected with chlamydia through airborne droplets.

In practice, such a probability of infection is negligible, but theoretically it still exists. This opportunity arises when several aspects are combined simultaneously:

• the patient must have a significant concentration of infectious agents in the saliva, which is extremely rare;
• the immunity of the person in contact with the patient is significantly weakened;
• the contacted person has microdamages, wounds in the oral cavity, or the infected saliva is swallowed.

Therefore, you can still become infected from a sick person if you kiss him or just be in close proximity. And even though this probability practically approaches zero and does not exceed 1% of infections, it is not worth risking the health of loved ones.

The likelihood of contracting chlamydia through a kiss is very small, but still exists

The risk of infection increases significantly through contact kissing. In this case, the patient's saliva enters the oral cavity directly. And if bacteria are present in the partner’s mouth, they will inevitably enter the body. Even in this case, the bacteria have a low chance of surviving, since they will be destroyed while still in the mouth.

When bacteria penetrate the body in this way, the period of latent development of pathology can last much longer.

Household route of transmission

Many doctors simply exclude the possibility of infection through the air and personal contact, explaining that bacteria can only survive in the conditions of the human body. But research confirms that under favorable conditions, namely at a temperature within 18–20 degrees and sufficient humidity, bacteria are able to remain viable for up to two days outside the human body. This feature must be taken into account and all measures must be taken so as not to infect your loved ones.

Chlamydia can be transmitted through the use of personal hygiene items of an infected person.

The most common routes of household infection:

• through linen, both underwear and bed linen;
• through general clothing;
• through personal hygiene items, including toothbrushes and massage brushes, towels and sponges, razors and other personal items.

Therefore, people who visit swimming pools, baths, beauty salons, saunas, and public toilets are at risk.

Of course, such cases of infection are extremely rare, but still this possibility should not be ruled out. Therefore, teach your children to use exclusively personal hygiene products and do not ignore this rule yourself.

Contact with bed linen or the patient's clothing can cause infection

Some people, fearing infection, are afraid to even swim in in public places. Such reinsurance does not make sense, since chlamydia die in water. Therefore, it is impossible to become infected directly in a pool, river or lake.

Prevention will always remain the best way to avoid infection. But precautions do not always help prevent infection. Therefore, it would be useful for people at risk to undergo periodic medical examinations in order to promptly identify the presence of foreign microorganisms.

A doctor will talk about chlamydia in the video: