What is chlamydia?

Also known as: chlamydia infection, sexually transmitted infection, STI, sexually transmitted disease, STD.

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterial disease (STD) that is most commonly passed, through any form of sexual contact, from one person to another. Anyone having sexual contact can get the disease, without knowing it and those with many sexual partners are at greatest risk.

Mothers can also pass it to their babies during childbirth.

A Chlamydia infection may or may not cause symptoms and can be easily treated if detected. If undetected and untreated it may give rise, in females, to infection of their uterus, ovaries and tubes (pelvic inflammatory disease) with possible ongoing pain, and problems with becoming pregnant. In males it can affect male reproduction causing sterility.

---

Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM