"Can I get chlamydial infection anywhere else?"

Yes. In women a chlamydial infection of the lower genital tract may ascend, from the neck of the womb [the cervix] through the womb and the Fallopian tubes into the abdomen, where it may infect organs like the liver. If a child is born through a woman's chlamydial infected genital tract it is highly likely to develop a chlamydial eye infection shortly after birth. This is easily treated, and may apparently go away without treatment, but if it is ignored the baby may develop an insidious lung infection around 6 months later. This is dealt with in the section specially for women.

In men Chlamydia may ascend the urethra [the passage through which urine passes] to involve the prostate gland, the fine tubes that carry sperm [the epididymis], and even, rarely, the testis. This is dealt with in the section specially for men.

Not infrequently, chlamydial infection from the genital area spreads to the eyes, giving rise to a discharge and making the eyes sore. This probably occurs when the eyes are rubbed with fingers contaminated with infected genital secretion.

The next section deals with issues that vary according to your sex. So please pick the section relevant to you first, though by all means read the other section. You need to know how it is for your partner too.

FOR WOMEN

FOR MEN

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