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Health Topic Research Essay - Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease and is the most often reported bacterial STI in the United States (“Detailed STD Facts - Chlamydia”). If left untreated, chlamydia can pose as an extreme health risk to both women and men. In some cases, it is common for an individual to not realize that they have contracted chlamydia because it is an asymptomatic STI, meaning it shows no symptoms. Because of this, those infected may not seek testing or treatment since they are unaware of their infection. Cases of chlamydia, if caught early, can be relatively easy to cure, however, there is a growing antibiotic resistance to this STI and a few others which may become detrimental for the now relatively easy treatment of chlamydia.

“About 1.7 million chlamydia infections were reported to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in 2017, but the real number is likely higher because chlamydia is considered an underreported infection” (Henricks, 2019). While there are specific populations at higher risk of contracting chlamydia, realistically, anyone who is sexually active has the risk of becoming infected. The most at risk populations for chlamydia infection are sexually active young individuals. One in 20 sexually active women aged 14-24 has been infected with chlamydia (“Detailed STD Facts”). This young population is a high-risk group for Chlamydia because most often, younger aged individuals lack the proper sexual education to know how to protect themselves from contracting STIs, like chlamydia. Also, high school and college aged individuals are “less likely to have access to proper STD prevention services because of lack of transportation, cost and perceived stigma” (“Detailed STD Facts”). The fact that only 13 states in the United States requires that sexual education in public schools be medically accurate, it shouldn’t be a shock that the most at risk populations are high school and college aged individuals. To combat these increasing rates of this infection, along with the growing resistance to antibiotics, action in the school systems with proper education on these infections is crucial in working to lower these infection rates and must be the first step taken in prevention of chlamydia. Men who have sex with men also run a higher risk of contracting this STI; the reason being that chlamydia is transmitted through oral or anal sex. Women who have chlamydia may also pass it to their children during birth, as it can pass from the vaginal canal to the child ("Chlamydia trachomatis", 2018).

Health consequences from contracting chlamydia can range from mild, to incredibly risky. If caught early, it is a relatively easy infection to cure. However, the WHO states that “Resistance of these STIs [chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis] to the effect of antibiotics has increased rapidly in recent years and has reduced treatment options” ("Growing antibiotic resistance forces updates to recommended treatment for sexually transmitted infections"). Chlamydia, along with other STIs like Gonorrhea and Syphilis becoming antibiotic resistance may pose as a major public health issue soon. Chlamydia can become a hazard to one’s health if left untreated. Infertility of women can occur from contracting Pelvic Inflammatory Disease from untreated Chlamydia. Also, scarring of the reproductive tract in women may also occur, which can lead to infertility as well. Higher rates of ectopic pregnancy are also prevalent (Henricks, 2019). While women have a higher risk of suffering from long term health consequences from chlamydia, men are still susceptible to some consequences as well. If chlamydia has gone untreated in a man, they run the risk of developing epididymitis, which is an “inflammation of a structure within the testicles called the epididymis that can result in infertility” (Henricks, 2019). Reactive Arthritis can also be a result from a chlamydia infection in both men and women.

As previously stated, symptoms of chlamydia are asymptomatic. Symptoms in women include abnormal vaginal discharge, burning sensation when urinating, pain during sex, bleeding between periods and after sex (“STD Facts”). Infected men will experience testicular pain, abnormal discharge from the penis, and a burning sensation when urinating (“STD Facts”). “About 1.7 million chlamydia infections were reported to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in 2017, but the real number is likely higher because chlamydia is considered an underreported infection” (Henricks, 2019); It is imminent that public health educators, parents, and families are communicating to young people the risks and consequences of chlamydia and other STIs at an early age to ensure that they do not suffer from the long term health consequences from not realizing they have been infected. The act of preaching about abstinence as being the only moral way to go through live to avoid unwanted pregnancies and STIs in completely unrealistic. The reality in, young people are engaging in sexual behaviors, and then they are not given any sort of proper, accurate education, their behaviors will most likely be risky because of their lack of knowledge. This is an enormous issue in public health today, and it must be addressed to work towards any positive change in these increasingly rising statistics.

Like all STIs, they can be prevented by participating in safe sexual behaviors. Wearing a condom when engaging in sexual activity is crucial in the act of not contracting an unwanted STI. Anyone who is sexually active is at risk of contracting Chlamydia, so being sure to use contraceptives and limiting the number of individuals someone is engaging in sexual behaviors with will be helpful in lowering the risk of becoming infected as well. Along with this, getting tested regularly for Chlamydia and other STIs will help to lower the risk of those infected, because if it is caught early on, it can easily be treated.

Rates of chlamydia have been steadily increasing since 2013. The reason this may be is either because there is more education on STIs and how to treat them, resulting in more people going out and getting tested, or, there is still a lack of proper sexual education to the most at risk groups of contracting this infection. It is frightening to think that soon, this seemingly harmless infection (when treated timely and properly) may become antibiotic resistant, resulting in a massive public health issue on the national level. It is imminent and crucial to be advocating for accurate and safe sexual health education to all, especially in schools to the most impressionable age groups.


References


Detailed STD Facts - Chlamydia. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 19 AD, from https://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/stdfact-chlamydia-detailed.htm.


Growing antibiotic resistance forces updates to recommended treatment for sexually transmitted infections. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/30-08-2016-growing-antibiotic-resistance-forces-updates-to-recommended-treatment-for-sexually-transmitted-infections.

Henricks, M. (2019, June 26). 10 Essential Facts About Chlamydia. Retrieved from


STD Facts - Chlamydia. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/stdfact-chlamydia.htm.

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