Every woman who comes to the gynecologist's appointment is tested for infections, including chlamydia. Why? Yes, because the prevalence of STIs (sexually transmitted infections) is quite high. So, for example, in 40% of women who have tested, they find chlamydia. Let's get acquainted with this disease in more detail and try to understand how the microbe affects the female body, and what consequences the protracted disease can lead to.
What is the causative agent of the disease?
The microorganism of the causative agent of chlamydia is a small, rounded microbe that affects primarily the mucous membranes of the genitourinary system. In addition, chlamydia has a unique property - to affect tissues under the mucous membranes.
Chlamydia in women and men have their own, different from other bacteria, development cycle, which consists in the manifestation of signs of bacteria and viruses at the same time. The microbe begins its development after it enters the cells of the human body. This process takes from 40 to 72 hours. This period depends on the state of the immune system, the aggressiveness of the microbe. After 4 -5 hours after entering the cells, the microbe begins to actively develop and multiply. After several cycles, elementary bodies begin to destroy the cell and enter the intercellular space. Further infection and destruction of healthy cells of the mucous membrane occurs.
What does chlamydia in women affect?
As we already know, the microorganism affects the mucous membranes, so in women it develops mainly on the cervix. The first symptoms are detected, usually 30 days after the alleged infection. In women, bleeding of the cervix is observed, purulent discharge begins and erosion develops. Sometimes the disease is accompanied by itching, burning and white discharge.
Chlamydia in women, whose treatment was not timely, can negatively affect the uterus and cause inflammation (endometritis), which is manifested by bleeding, dull pain in the sacrum and lower abdomen.
The microbe also spreads to the ovaries and fallopian tubes and causes inflammation. This disease is one of the most dangerous and often causes infertility.
In addition, chlamydia in women, as in men, causes inflammation of the urethra (urethritis). The disease manifests itself in rapid urination, accompanied by sharp pain and burning. In the analysis, patients have a large number of leukocytes, which indicates an inflammatory process.
How does infection happen?
There are three ways to get an infection:
- Sexually transmitted infection.
- Infection during the birth process. A child in 90% of cases becomes infected by an infected mother. Such children develop conjunctivitis in 40% of cases, pneumonia in 20% of cases. In addition, the risk of infection of the nasopharynx, vagina, anus and eyes is quite high.
- Intrauterine infection. After this, the birth of a premature or lightweight baby occurs . The infant mortality rate of these babies is quite high.
How is the treatment going?
Treatment of chlamydia in women takes about 20-30 days. But this is only if both partners are being treated at the same time. Moreover, intimate contacts at this time are strictly prohibited, otherwise it is possible to resume the disease. With a diagnosis of chlamydia, treatment in women and men, as a rule, is practically the same. The doctor prescribes antibiotics and immunomodulators. In rare cases, physiotherapy is prescribed.
At the initial stage, chlamydia is treated with azithromycin (drugs - "Azitroks", "Summamed", "Azivok" and others), 1 g once inside and doxycycline (drugs - "Doxycycline Nycomed", "Apo-Doxy", "Doxal", "Unidox Slyutab "and others.) 100 mg.x 2 times a day, for 14 days.
It is worth noting that the doctor selects treatment with drugs only after a thorough check and based on the results of the analyzes. Self-treatment of chlamydia can only aggravate the situation and lead to irreparable consequences!