Chlamydia in women symptoms signs. Chlamydia in women: what is it, treatment, symptoms, causes, signs. On the video about the disease

Chlamydia is a pathological process in the body, the causative agent of which is chlamydia. They can cause a wide range of lesions of various organs in humans. Chlamydia can not be attributed to either bacteria or viruses, but these microorganisms have an amazing ability to damage not only the external genital organs, but also the internal ones, disrupt the respiratory mucosa, affect blood vessels and the heart, teeth and joints, and also cause conjunctivitis and otitis media.

However, most often these microorganisms are localized in the genitourinary system, causing chlamydia in women, the symptoms of which are sometimes mild, or the disease is chronically asymptomatic. There are no characteristic, special signs of chlamydia in women, since it is impossible to determine without laboratory tests which type of infection causes the inflammatory process. Many women are interested in the answer to the question - how to treat chlamydia in women and what are the treatment regimens for chlamydia?

Ways of infection with chlamydia

The development of this disease in a particular organ depends on how the infection occurred. Methods of infection with chlamydia by frequency can be distributed as follows:

Chlamydia symptoms in women

How is chlamydia diagnosed in women? Unfortunately, the difficulties in diagnosing and monitoring the treatment of this disease are caused by the fact that often there is an asymptomatic course of chlamydia in women. Symptoms of this disease are found only in 33% of women. However, the latent course of the infectious process is no less dangerous, both for the woman herself, since it causes a number of complications and consequences, and for her sexual partner, increasing the risk of infection. Also, if left untreated, chlamydia poses a potential risk to the unborn child if a woman becomes pregnant.

The incubation period for chlamydia is 14 to 30 days. If sexual infection has occurred, the first symptoms may appear two weeks after questionable sexual contact. When chlamydia enters the female body, it goes through several stages:

• The first stage is the direct penetration of chlamydia onto the mucous membrane.
• The second stage is intracellular reproduction, which in these microorganisms occurs somewhat differently than in other bacteria and viruses, since chlamydia are located inside the cells of the human body in the form of reticular bodies, under favorable conditions, they begin active reproduction, and after 2-3 days the cell, in which they were, dies.
• The third stage is direct inflammation of the mucous membrane of the affected organ. After the cell in which the reticular bodies were located dies, fresh microorganisms enter the intercellular space and quickly attack new target cells.

Signs of chlamydia in women

Chlamydial infection can cause various disorders of the female reproductive system.

• Colpitis. After infection with chlamydia, symptoms are most often observed in the form of chlamydia colpitis, and is also localized in the glands located near the vagina. This is especially evident in girls, pregnant women and women during menopause, when there is a deficiency of estragon in the body. At the same time, women experience discomfort in the vagina - itching, burning, discharge, urination disorders, pain in the lower abdomen, in the lower back, a slight increase in body temperature. .
• Cervicitis. With a long period of development of chlamydia, the cervix is ​​\u200b\u200baffected, causing - cervicitis. In this case, the reproduction of microorganisms occurs in the cervical canal, and upon examination, the gynecologist sees that the cervix is ​​enlarged, edematous, inflamed. If there is no treatment, then with cervicitis, desquamation of the cervical epithelium occurs and erosion occurs.
• Salpingoophoritis, endometritis, salpingitis. When the infection ascends up the genital tract in a woman against the background of reduced immunity, constant stress and other favorable conditions for the reproduction of chlamydia, serious inflammatory processes of the female genital organs are possible, the diagnosis of which is carried out by a gynecologist on the basis of an examination, ultrasound data.

What is the discharge for chlamydia in women?

Like any other sexually transmitted infection, chlamydia is also manifested by pathological discharge, itching, burning, pain, and even fever. It is impossible to determine chlamydia only by the nature of the discharge, since there are no distinctive features in its course. In addition, in addition to chlamydia, a woman may have other sexually transmitted infections, such as herpes, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, and thrush. Signs of chlamydia in women may include the following ailments:

• Temperature . With an acute course of the process, a woman may have a subfebrile body temperature of 37-37.5 C
• Pain - may be insignificant, absent altogether or be quite intense, they occur in the lower abdomen, in the lumbar region.
• Urination. If the inflammatory process also affects the urethra, then all the symptoms of cystitis occur - frequent and painful urination, pain at the end and beginning of emptying the bladder, burning and cramps during urination.
• Allocations. Most often, discharge from chlamydia in women is mucopurulent, white or yellowish in color, with a sharp unpleasant odor. If, this may indicate the development of gardnerellosis -. Since chlamydia creates favorable conditions that provoke the development of other infections.
• Burning. This symptom of chlamydia in women can also be observed on the mucous membrane of the genital organs, since the mucous membrane is the main site of the pathogen.
• Cervical erosion. At the consultation of the gynecologist, when examining the patient, slight bleeding on the mucous membrane of the cervix, and erosive formations, which may be a sign of chlamydia, may be detected.

How to treat chlamydia in women

The problem of complex treatment of chlamydial infection in women should be solved taking into account the clinical picture of the patient. There are no ready-made algorithms, general treatment regimens for chlamydia in women, since in each case it is worth considering the state of immunity, concomitant diseases, and the state of the intestinal microflora.

All information about drugs and treatment regimens is for informational purposes only. Treatment of chlamydia is carried out only by a qualified specialist based on the results of tests, the patient's history, in dynamics, taking into account the criteria for cure.

Antibiotics

• Tetracyclines: Doxycycline - Unidox Solutab, Dorix, Vibramycin, Vibra-Tabs.
• Macrolides: Azithromycin (Sumamed, Zitromax, Hemomycin), Josamycin (Vilprafen) and Clarithromycin (Clarbact, Fromilid Uno)
• Fluoroquinolones: Ofloxacin (Floxin, Zanocin, Tarivid, Ofloxin), Levofloxacin (Tavanic, Glevo, Levostar, Flexid), Ciprofloxacin (Cifran, cyprobay, cyprinol, Cipro-bid), Spiramycin (Rovamycin), Norfloxacin (, norbactin), Lomefloxacin ( Lomflox), Sparfloxacin (Sparflo).

Be sure to take into account the presence of other infections - STIs, so that the choice of antibiotic is as effective as possible in case of a mixed infection.

• Azithromycin 500 mg 2 tab. once, or
• Doxycycline 0.1 twice a day for 7 days.

Second row:

• Erythromycin 500 mg 4 times a day after 6 hours 7 days
• Ofloxacin 300 mg twice a day after 12 hours for 7 days
• Roxithromycin 150 mg twice a day after 12 hours 7 days
• Spiramycin 3 million units every 8 hours for 7 days

For pregnant:

• Erythromycin 500 mg every 6 hours 4 times a day for 7 days
• Josamycin 750 mg 3 times a day after 8 hours 7 days
• Spiramycin 3 million U every 8 hours 3 times a day for 7 days.

Both partners are treated. However, tetracyclines can be used to treat acute uncomplicated urethritis or cervicitis in previously untreated patients. Chlamydia strains resistant to one of the tetracyclines are also resistant to other drugs in this group, that is, it makes no sense to change drugs one to another if they are ineffective within the same group.

In practice, preference is given to 15-membered macrolides (Azithromycin) and 16-membered macrolides (Josamycin), resistant forms, chronic chlamydia are treated with fluoroquinolones. But this will be second-line therapy, since it is undesirable to prescribe fluoroquinolones right away, remembering that soon there will be nothing to treat tuberculosis. And fluoroquinolones are reserve preparations. In pregnant women, the approved drug today is Josamycin (Vilprafen), which is preferred by European standards.

The criterion for cure will be a negative PCR scrapings of the urogenital tract 1.5-2 months after the end of therapy.

Treatment regimens for chlamydia in women

To date, the treatment of chlamydia is a complex problem, the attending physician must be highly qualified and have knowledge in many related fields of medicine, since there are often situations when the appointment of even very effective, modern highly active antibiotics for chlamydia is erroneous, ineffective, aggravating the course of the infectious process .

Very important in assessing the patient's condition is the choice of diagnostic method, the level of training of the researcher of laboratory material, the quality of test systems for diagnosis. Very often, errors in diagnosis and treatment occur for the following reasons:

• The use of low-quality test systems, low professional training of the laboratory assistant, non-compliance with the delivery conditions and the rules for taking material for analysis during diagnostics.
• The wrong choice of an effective treatment regimen for chlamydia and tactics of therapy, as a result, the treatment is unsuccessful.
• Untimely determination of the patient's stage of cure.
• Illiterate interpretation of test results. If, after a comprehensive, staged treatment of urogenital chlamydial infection with the use of antibiotics, pathogens are again detected in the control tests, taking a second course of antimicrobial drugs is not advisable. In such situations, laboratory results should be correctly interpreted. It is possible that an error was found in determining the criteria for cure, since after treatment, taking material for analysis in each method of laboratory diagnostics differs in terms of time.

Treatment regimens for chlamydia in women, drugs for therapy - depend on the clinical symptoms of the disease, the severity of the process, the duration of the disease, the age of the patient and concomitant diseases.

With ectopia of the cervix in women, any treatment should begin only after the results, as well as cytological examination of smears, which exclude or confirm precancerous conditions. In case of a negative result, local treatment can be supplemented with enzymes, proliferation-enhancing agents, and drugs that cause tissue destruction.

Treatment of chlamydia in pregnant women should also be staged, complex, taking into account all physiological contraindications. Among the antibiotics for chlamydia in the basic therapy, the following drugs can be used: Rovamycin 3 million 3 r / day and Erythromycin 500 mg 4 r / day for 2 weeks. The appointment of doxycycline, fluoroquinolones is categorically contraindicated in lactating and pregnant women.

Chlamydia in women - the consequences of infection

All inflammatory processes that occur during the ascent of chlamydial infection to the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries can cause endometritis, salpingitis, salpingo-oophoritis. The consequences of chlamydia can be expressed in the impossibility of conception, infertility and increase the risk of developing malignant tumors in the future. Depending on the localization of the inflammatory process during the reproduction of chlamydia, the following consequences are possible:

• Uterine appendages (salpingoophoritis) and fallopian tubes (salpingitis) are very dangerous for women who want to become pregnant and give birth to a healthy child, since chlamydia is characterized by the fact that after inflammation they form. And this can be the cause of infertility (see),.
• Cervix (endocervicitis) - with this localization, chlamydia significantly increases the risk of developing malignant processes in the cervix (see).
• The mucous membrane of the uterus (endometritis) - also makes pregnancy difficult and may increase the risk of spontaneous abortion.
• Reiter's syndrome - chlamydial urethritis, conjunctivitis, arthritis.

Chlamydia in women is an infectious and inflammatory disease, which is characterized by damage to the genitourinary, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.

The causative agent of chlamydia is Chlamydia trachomatis

Genitourinary (urogenital) chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs), along with syphilis, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis.

Genitourinary chlamydia is most common in sexually active individuals between the ages of 20 and 40 and adolescents. Women are more susceptible to the disease. The prevalence of infection is extremely high - chlamydia is diagnosed in about half of all cases of inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary tract in women.

Chlamydia in women often coexists with other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). In this case, infections exacerbate each other, acquire resistance to antibacterial effects, and the duration of the disease increases. In the presence of urogenital chlamydia, the body's susceptibility to syphilis and HIV infection increases.

The high prevalence of chlamydia in women is due, among other things, to the fact that often chlamydia is asymptomatic or its manifestations are mild.

Causes and risk factors

The causative agents of chlamydia in women are intracellular microorganisms Chlamydia trachomatis. These bacteria can stay in the human body for a long time without causing clinical manifestations, but in the event of a weakening of the body's defenses, chlamydia begin to increase vitality and growth, causing signs of chlamydia in women. The most common way of transmission of chlamydia is sexual - both with traditional and non-traditional types of unprotected intercourse. In addition, transmission of chlamydia can occur during fetal development or during childbirth from mother to child when the fetus passes through the birth canal. There is also a contact-household route of transmission of the disease - through hands contaminated with infected secretions, personal hygiene items, bed linen, etc. Such cases of infection are rare, since chlamydia quickly die outside the body. Cases of transmission of chlamydia during blood transfusions are known.

Forms of the disease

Depending on the localization of the pathological process, the following forms of chlamydia in women are distinguished:

• chlamydia of the lower parts of the genitourinary system;
• chlamydia of the upper genitourinary system;
• chlamydia of other localization.

In the course of chlamydia in women, it is divided into acute (duration of the disease up to 2 months) and chronic (more than 2 months).

Chronic chlamydia, advanced forms of the disease often demonstrate resistance to therapy, treatment in this case is longer and more complicated, and the risk of complications increases.

Symptoms of chlamydia in women

As a rule, the incubation period of chlamydia in women lasts 1-2 weeks. The latent course of the disease is observed in approximately 65% ​​of patients, which complicates the diagnosis and contributes to the development of complications. There are no specific symptoms of chlamydia in women, the clinical picture of the disease resembles the course of other STDs (most of them have similar manifestations) or urethritis.

As a rule, the primary focus of chlamydia lesions is the mucous membrane of the uterus or urethra.

The main symptoms of chlamydia in women are vaginal discharge of a mucous (vitreous) or mucopurulent nature with an unpleasant odor. In some cases, the appearance of pathological secretions is accompanied by burning, itching, soreness in the genital area, as well as pulling pains in the lower abdomen, sacrum and fever to subfebrile values ​​(not higher than 38 ° C). Before menstruation, as well as during or immediately after sexual intercourse, the pain may increase. Often there is an increased urge to urinate, burning and soreness during urination.

After about 1.5-2 weeks from the moment of the first manifestations of the disease, the symptoms may disappear even if untreated, but this is not a sign of recovery - after a while the disease appears again, but in this case they are less pronounced. Thus, chlamydia in women becomes chronic, periodically reminding of itself with relapses and / or involvement of other internal organs in the pathological process.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of chlamydia in women is considered confirmed if chlamydia is detected in the focus of infection.

In order to diagnose the disease, a detailed laboratory examination is carried out:

• polymerase chain reaction (allows you to identify a latent or oligosymptomatic form of the disease);
• a study by direct immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies (allows you to detect antibodies to chlamydia in the patient's blood serum);
• methods of DNA diagnostics;
• cytological examination of the discharge of the vagina, urethra, cervix (the method allows you to diagnose the disease only in 10-15% of cases);
• cultural analysis with bacterial inoculation of biological material on McCoy's medium;
• antibiogram.

If the test results for chlamydia of one of the partners are positive, it is recommended that the other (other) sexual partner be diagnosed even if there are no signs of the disease.

Genitourinary chlamydia is most common in sexually active individuals between the ages of 20 and 40 and adolescents.

Treatment of chlamydia in women

The main method of treatment for chlamydia in women is medication. Antibacterial drugs that can penetrate cells (tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, macrolide antibiotics) are prescribed. When choosing a drug, the presence of a secondary infection, the state of the patient's immunity, as well as the microflora of the genitourinary and digestive tract are taken into account. In the case of chlamydia in pregnant women, treatment with antibacterial drugs begins after the 14th week of pregnancy. The choice of an antibacterial drug for the treatment of chlamydia in women during pregnancy is limited to those drugs that do not have a fetotoxic and embryotoxic effect.

For local treatment of chlamydia in women, instillations of drugs into the urethra, baths, tampons, vaginal and rectal suppositories are used.

Patients with chronic chlamydia are shown antimycotic drugs, immunomodulatory drugs (since chlamydia depresses the immune system) and vitamin complexes, drugs that improve the process of tissue repair.

In the treatment of chronic chlamydia, physiotherapy methods are often used: electrophoresis, iontophoresis with drugs, infrared radiation treatment, magnetotherapy, ultrasound therapy.

Chronic chlamydia in women often requires repeated courses of treatment.

At the time of treatment, sexual intercourse, excessive physical activity, alcohol consumption, as well as spicy and spicy foods should be excluded.

Chlamydial therapy is also indicated for the other sexual partner(s) to prevent re-infection.

A control study is carried out 3-4 weeks after the end of the course of treatment.

Possible complications and consequences of chlamydia in women

In the absence of timely treatment of chlamydia in women, serious complications may develop:

• inflammation of the mucous membrane of the cervix (endocervicitis);
• inflammation of the endometrium (, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, tubal infertility. If the pathogen enters the amniotic fluid, intrauterine infection is possible, with a subsequent risk of fetal developmental pathologies.

  

  Chronic inflammation in the urethra can lead to stricture (narrowing) of the urethra.

  With repeated infection with chlamydia, the risk of complications increases.

  Forecast

  In the case of acute uncomplicated chlamydia with timely diagnosis and simultaneous treatment of all sexual partners, the prognosis is favorable.

  Chronic chlamydia, advanced forms of the disease often demonstrate resistance to therapy, treatment in this case is longer and more complicated, and the risk of complications increases.

  Prevention

  In order to prevent chlamydia in women, it is recommended to adhere to the following measures:

  • avoidance of promiscuous, especially unprotected sexual intercourse;
  • diagnostic examination for the presence of infection in case of accidental unprotected sexual contact;
  • notification of sexual partners with a positive test result for chlamydia;
  • examination of couples planning pregnancy for hidden infectious diseases (including chlamydia).

  Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:

Chlamydia is a rather serious sexually transmitted disease, the consequences and complications after which can be significant. To reduce the risk of complications, well-built, and, most importantly, timely treatment is required.

In women, the diagnosis of this disease is complicated, since the infection develops inside the body and makes itself felt already at the moment when the incubation period is over and the stage of rapid reproduction of pathogenic bacteria begins. Treatment of chlamydia requires a parallel therapeutic course for both partners, otherwise the risk of re-infection is quite high.

Chlamydia in women

Chlamydia in women

In women, chlamydia manifests itself in different ways. It all depends on the stage of the disease. Most often, the diagnosis of this disease occurs already at the moment when the disease is in full swing. But in about every third case, she does not let anyone know about herself at all. Such a course of the disease is even more dangerous, since it is difficult to suspect that something is going wrong in the body. Without knowing about health problems, a woman can infect a partner or even conceive a child.

In the case of an existing pregnancy, this state of affairs is no less serious. Lack of timely treatment can lead to irreparable consequences.

The incubation period for chlamydia in women lasts from two weeks to a month. If the infection is sexually transmitted, then after two weeks the first signs are likely to appear.

There are several stages in the development of the disease:

1. First stage. Chlamydia enters the vagina, into a comfortable habitat for itself.
2. Second phase. At this time, an intracellular stage of development occurs, at which the pathogenic microorganism begins active reproduction, and after a couple of days the cell in which it was located dies.
3. Third stage. The same period when there is an active growth of microorganisms. They spread rapidly and take over new cells.

Ways of infection

The course of the disease in the future largely depends on how exactly the pathogenic microorganism entered the person. There are four main routes of infection:

• Sexual way. Most often, infection occurs in this way. The penetration of chlamydia becomes possible as a result of unprotected intercourse. Infection can occur as a result of any kind of intercourse: oral, anal and vaginal. With this path, the vaginal mucosa is primarily affected. From it already chlamydia without problems gets on the fallopian tubes, covering the entire surface. If time does not start treatment, then the infection will move to the urinary tract. It is likely the development of cystitis.
• vertical path. This is how a newborn baby is infected. If during pregnancy a woman was ill with chlamydia, a sufficiently large amount of pathogenic flora accumulated in her vagina. During childbirth, the baby, passing through the birth canal, becomes infected from a sick mother. As a result, he may develop chlamydial conjunctivitis and damage the lungs. There is an opinion that even while in the womb, a child can already become infected with this infection. However, the reliability of this hypothesis has not yet been proven.
• Contact-household way. No one can one hundred percent prove infection with chlamydia in this way, but no one is able to refute the existence of such a path either. There is an opinion that this infection can be “picked up” from the clothes of a random oncoming person on the street, in public transport and just in the crowd. If you dry yourself with a towel after a sick person, the risk of infection is quite real, since the bacterium can live on cotton fabric for two days. But only if the ambient temperature corresponded to +18 degrees. Deviations in the temperature regime at least by a degree or two are fraught with the death of a pathogenic microorganism.
• Airborne method. A rather rare way, but this is how chlamydia infection occurs from a patient with chlamydial pneumonia.

Chlamydia in women causes

Why is it possible for a woman to get chlamydia?

• The main reason is promiscuity, unprotected sex (this is the most common cause of infection not only among women, but also among men);
• A spiral installed in the uterus that prevents unwanted pregnancy can also cause this unpleasant disease;
• The cause of infection may be abortion and other gynecological operations;
• Due to non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene, the likelihood of infection also exists.

Infection can occur against the background of reduced immunity, this can occur against the background of long-term antibiotic treatment. Stress also does not improve immunity. Banal hypothermia leads to a violation of the immune system and an increase in its susceptibility to various infections, including chlamydia. Another common cause of reduced immunity is the lack of vitamins in the body.

Chlamydia in women. Symptoms

By and large, the symptoms of the disease can be completely absent, which is exactly what happens in about a third of cases. But if we talk about sensations, then the very first sign that something is going wrong in the body is burning, discomfort in the vaginal area.

If the infection has penetrated not only the vagina, but also the urinary tract, then pain is noted during a trip to the toilet, and turbidity of the urine is also observed. How long does it take for chlamydia to show up in women? In about two weeks.

A little later, the following signs of chlamydia appear in women after infection. The amount of vaginal discharge increases and becomes yellowish in color. An unpleasant smell should also tell you that something is wrong. Against the background of the ongoing infection, subfebrile temperature may appear.

In the later period of the disease, when the pathogenic flora grows more and more, the uterus and its appendages are affected. At this time, patients often complain of pulling pains in the lower abdomen and lower back. The pain makes itself felt during menstruation, greatly intensifying. Increased physical activity does not pass without a trace, giving off severe pain in the abdomen.

If the disease proceeds for a significant time period, there may be a violation of the endocrine function of the ovaries. At the same time, menstruation can change, become too plentiful and painful, or, conversely, disappear.

The consequences of chlamydia in women

A disease such as chlamydia cannot pass without consequences, and often very serious ones.

• Endometritis, salpingitis, salpingoophoritis. These diseases occur as a result of damage to the mucous membrane in the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. All of them are treated, but there is no guarantee that the disease has passed without serious consequences. Scars may well remain in the pipes, which in the future can interfere with the desired pregnancy.
• As a result of the same scars in the fallopian tubes, the likelihood of an ectopic pregnancy is high.
• Infertility and the development of malignant tumors. Such a consequence is likely only as a result of too advanced chlamydia, which for a long time was not diagnosed and was not treated in any way.
• After suffering chlamydia, even in the case of a successful conception, there is no full guarantee of a positive pregnancy outcome. The probability of premature birth increases several times.

Chlamydia in pregnant women

Just in case, in order to avoid problems in the future, an analysis for the presence of chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases must be taken before pregnancy.

This should be done not only by a woman, but also by a man. If the infection is not detected in a timely manner, you can lose the fetus.

How to detect chlamydia in women?

How to detect chlamydia in women?

In order to make a conclusion about the presence of infection, it is necessary to conduct a set of tests. Only a comprehensive examination can give a complete picture of a woman's health status.

Microscopic analysis. First of all, a swab is taken from a woman, but not only from the vagina. You will also need samples of the mucosa from the cervix and urethra. In some cases, smears are taken from the rectum.

The samples taken are prepared in a special way and examined through a microscope.

The result of this study cannot be the ultimate truth, and if nothing was revealed in this way, this does not mean that the woman is absolutely healthy. The fact is that the conclusion can be drawn from samples taken from one site. While the infection can safely develop on the other.

The adequacy of the result also depends on the laboratory assistant conducting the study and the correctness of the sampling:

1. PCR diagnostics. A fairly accurate method, it shows a positive result in the presence of infection and a negative one in its absence. In this case, not a smear is taken for analysis, but a scraping, which allows you to examine not only the mucous membrane, but also the cells. In most laboratories, such analysis is carried out in an automated way. This allows for a better diagnosis. The error due to the human factor is reduced to zero.
2. Bacteriological cultures. Mucosal samples are taken from the vagina, urethra, cervix and uterus itself. In the future, sowing on the flora is carried out, which shows whether there are pathogenic microorganisms in the body and in what quantity. In this way, you can immediately find out the sensitivity of bacteria to certain antibiotics.
3. Blood analysis. According to this analysis, it is impossible to find the pathogen itself, but it is very possible to identify the amount of antibodies that the body secretes in a particular disease.

If the diagnosis is confirmed and the reality is that the woman really has chlamydia, treatment should be started. How to treat chlamydia in a woman? It is worth considering the fact that it is worth treating not only the partner, but also her partner, otherwise the risk of recurrence of the infection remains.

Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics, otherwise the disease cannot be overcome. Basically antibiotics from three groups: tetracyclines, macrolides and fluoroquinolones. Unlike men, the treatment of women is not limited to tablets and ointments for external use. In the case of women, it is also necessary to use suppositories, tampons and douches. Only in this case, recovery will come faster, and the consequences will be minimal.

In each case, the selection of drugs and schemes for their use occurs individually. Only a doctor can prescribe medications based on research. In no case should you choose your own drugs. This can lead to negative reactions and unnecessary risks.

Treatment regimen for chlamydia in women

If treatment is carried out at an early stage, then only topical preparations can be dispensed with. At this stage, vaginal suppositories, tampons are prescribed, douching based on herbs is carried out. To speed up recovery, you must definitely take a vitamin complex. Often at this time, plant-based adaptogens are prescribed that strengthen the body.

The early stage of the disease is the first two months. Treatment is carried out at home, this condition does not require hospitalization. But antibiotics are also needed. Without them, it is completely impossible to get rid of the pathogenic microorganism. True, from treatment in the later stages, the course of antibacterial drugs will be less protracted.

Of the antibiotics, Doxycycline, Oxytetracycline are very effective in combating chlamydia - both drugs belong to the tetracycline group. Often prescribe medications such as Erythromycin, both in tablets and in the form of an ointment, Azithromycin. These drugs are from the group of macrolides. Medicines such as Levofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin and other representatives of the fluoroquinolone group are extremely rarely prescribed in the treatment of chlamydia at an early stage. They are prescribed only if the drugs from the two previous groups were powerless.

Doxycycline Oxytetracycline
Erythromycin

Azithromycin Levofloxacin
Ciprofloxacin

Azithromycin is very effective in the fight against "fresh" infection. A single dose is enough to completely cure the disease.

Do not forget that antibiotics, even in a small amount, upset the balance of the intestinal microflora. Therefore, after an antibacterial course, a course of probiotics is required.

If treatment is not started on time, the disease becomes chronic. Therapy at this stage is much more complicated and requires more time and effort.

Treatment at this stage is carried out in several stages. The first step is to prepare the body, which allows for more effective treatment in the future.

Most often, a course of intramuscular injections is carried out as a preparation. A weekly course of Neovir or Cycloferon has an antimycotic and antiviral effect. In addition to injections, a course of tablets is prescribed, for example, Rovamycin. This antibiotic belongs to the group of macrolides and, according to its characteristics, goes well in tandem with Neovir, complementing it.

Neovir
Cycloferon
Rovomycin

To make it easier for the body to tolerate such an amount of antibacterial drugs, Diflucan is prescribed at the end of each week of treatment. Also, the complex must be supplemented with multivitamins, Suprastin is perfect for the role of those in the treatment of chlamydia, and any other analogues may well be suitable.

Diflucan
Suprastin

After the completion of the first stage, the intensive work on the rehabilitation of the body begins. Drugs and dosage regimens are completely changing.

At this stage, first of all, it is required to restore the microflora of the vagina. Therefore, at this stage, vaginal suppositories cannot be dispensed with. Lactobacterin based on live lactobacilli is able to completely restore the disturbed mucosa and normalize processes in a course. These suppositories help restore the body's immunity.

To help the immune system recover and prevent relapses, in tandem with Lactobacterin, a course of injections is carried out to help the body conduct a quality fight against viruses and infections. Cycloferon, Reaferon or Interlock are perfect for the role of such fighters. It is permissible to prescribe drugs such as Wobenzym and Phlogenzym. The last two drugs often go in combination with the main drugs, helping to avoid pathologies and complications.

During this period, taking Clindamycin is very effective, it has proven itself in the fight against chlamydial infections, it helps even if the virus has settled in the respiratory tract and bone tissues. If the infection is severe enough, at first it is necessary to prescribe the drug in the form of injections, since in this form antibiotics work faster and more efficiently. For a maximum of the tenth day of treatment, it is necessary to switch to the tablet form of this drug.

Lactobacterin Reaferon Wobenzym Flogenzyme Clindamycin

Treatment of pregnant women

Treatment of pregnant women

Diseases caused by chlamydia are called chlamydia or chlamydial infections.

Chlamydia can be transmitted from both humans and animals. The most dangerous are such types of chlamydia as Chlamydia psittaci and Chlamydia pecorum, which enter the human body through contact with sick animals and birds and Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae, infection by them comes from a sick person.

Chlamydia are stable in the external environment for 36-48 hours, they die when boiled for 1 minute and after treatment with antiseptics (alcohol, high concentrations of chlorine solutions, solutions of hydrogen peroxide and potassium permanganate).

Types of chlamydial infections

Depending on which organ is affected by chlamydia, there are several types of chlamydia.

Chlamydia psittaci causes psittacosis and chlamydial conjunctivitis.

Chlamydia trachomatis in newborns causes

• chlamydial conjunctivitis,
• nasopharyngitis,

in adults

• urogenital chlamydia (urethritis, cystitis, prostatitis, cervicitis, endometritis, adnexitis),
• proctitis,
• cholecystitis.

Also, some types of Chlamydia trachomatis cause trachoma and venereal lymphogranulomatosis.

Chlamydia pneumoniae infects the respiratory and cardiovascular systems with the development of pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, endocarditis and other diseases.

Chlamydial infection can occur in acute, chronic and asymptomatic forms.

Causes

It becomes clear that chlamydia causes chlamydia. But there are a number of predisposing factors for infection with these microorganisms:

Urogenital chlamydia:

• promiscuity;
• wearing an intrauterine device;
• non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene.

Other factors:

• close contact with animals and birds;
• non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene;
• factors contributing to the weakening of immunity (taking antibiotics, hypovitaminosis, hypothermia, stress, etc.).

Ways of transmission of chlamydial infection: sexual, contact-household, intrauterine and intranatal (during childbirth when the child passes through the infected birth canal of the mother).

Symptoms of chlamydia

The incubation period for chlamydia is 7-21 days. The infection, as a rule, has non-specific symptoms of the disease, therefore, it is rarely diagnosed in the acute form and in 90% of cases becomes chronic.

Urogenital chlamydia

Most often, urogenital chlamydia develops in the form of urethritis and cervicitis.

Patients complain of frequent and painful urination, glassy discharge from the urethra and / or genital tract, the appearance (rarely) of a drop of blood during urination.

With ascending chlamydial infection in men, the seminal vesicles (vesiculitis), prostate (prostatitis), membranes and the testicles themselves (epididymitis and orchitis) are affected, and in women the uterus (endometritis) and appendages (adnexitis), which have characteristic manifestations of all of these diseases.

ornithosis

Infection occurs from sick birds and animals. The main symptoms of the disease are:

• an increase in body temperature up to 39 ° C,
• general intoxication (weakness, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting),
• lung damage with the development of pneumonia,
• brain damage with the development of meningitis,
• spleno- and hepatomegaly (enlargement of the spleen and liver).

Chlamydia of the bronchopulmonary system

As a rule, pulmonary chlamydia proceeds according to the type of acute obstructive bronchitis and bronchial asthma. Patients are concerned about dry, unproductive cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, periodic attacks of suffocation.

Trachoma

Chlamydia infection of the conjunctiva and cornea of ​​the eye, followed by scarring of the mucous membrane, cartilage of the eyelids and the development of blindness.

Venereal lymphogranulomatosis

It is caused by chlamydia, while the soft tissues of the urogenital region and inguinal lymph nodes are affected.

In the final stage of the disease, ulcers form on the skin of the perineum and on the mucous membranes of the genital organs, which later become sclerosed and scarred.

Reiter's syndrome

Consistently or simultaneously, the conjunctiva of the eyes, joints and urinary organs are affected. Symptoms of the disease are characteristic of conjunctivitis, arthritis and urethritis.

Analysis for chlamydia

Diagnosing a chlamydial infection is very difficult. The detection of chlamydia by any method in biological material indicates human infection. It is advisable to use several methods for diagnosing chlamydia:

Cultural method

Growing cells affected by chlamydia on nutrient media. Biological materials are scrapings from the mucous membranes, semen and urine. The method is reliable in 90% of diagnostic cases, it allows to identify live chlamydia and determine their sensitivity to antibiotics.

Immunofluorescence method

Detection in a preparation prepared from scrapings of the mucous membrane and stained with special dyes, areas of chlamydia cells or whole microorganisms glowing in the dark.

Enzyme immunoassay (ELISA)

• Detection in the blood of a patient of antibodies of a certain type.
• The presence of IgM (type M immunoglobulins) indicates an acute infection, and the detection of IgG (type G immunoglobulins) is evidence of past infection.
• A decrease in the titer (quantity) of IgM makes it possible to judge the positive effect of treatment and the beginning of recovery.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method

For research, smears are taken from the urethra, cervical canal, from the eyelids and / or urine sediment. In the preparations, sections of chlamydia DNA are found.

PCR is the most sensitive and effective way to diagnose chlamydial infection.

Treatment

Treatment of chlamydial infection is a very complex and time-consuming process. The doctor who has revealed a clamidiosis is engaged in treatment.

For example, urogenital chlamydia is treated by a gynecologist and urologist-andrologist, pulmonary chlamydia by a pulmonologist or therapist, eye damage by an ophthalmologist. In addition, an immunologist and a laboratory assistant are involved in the treatment.

The main treatment for chlamydia is antibiotics.

Antibiotics are used

• macrolide groups (azithromycin, clarithromycin, rovamycin),
• tetracycline series (doxycycline, tetracycline),
• fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin).

The course of antibiotic treatment lasts 10-21 days, depending on whether the process is chronic or acute, as well as the degree of the disease.

Along with antibiotics,

• multivitamins,
• immunomodulatory drugs (tactivin, thymalin),
• enzymes (festal, carsil),
• antifungal agents (nystatin, fluconazole),
• probiotics (lactobacterin, bifidumbacterin orally and in vaginal tampons) for the prevention of intestinal and vaginal dysbacteriosis.

Women with urogenital chlamydia are prescribed local treatment in the form of douching with antiseptic solutions and the introduction of vaginal swabs with antibacterial ointments.

During antibiotic therapy, which is carried out by both sexual partners, patients are prohibited from having sex, drinking alcohol, spicy and salty foods.

After completing the course of treatment, both partners take control tests for chlamydia and repeat the tests twice in a month and two. Women should be tested after menstruation.

In the treatment of all types of chlamydial infections, it is very important to observe personal hygiene measures (daily change of underwear, personal towels, etc.).

Complications and prognosis

Possible complications of urogenital chlamydial infection:

• male and female infertility;
• chronic diseases of the pelvic organs (prostatitis, vesiculitis, endometritis, adnexitis, adhesive disease);
• risk of ectopic pregnancy;
• Reiter's syndrome;
• miscarriage;
• the birth of a child with malformations;
• stricture (narrowing) of the urethra;
• postpartum purulent-septic diseases;
• cervical cancer.

Despite the difficulty of curing chlamydia, the prognosis for the life of patients is favorable.

In 50% of cases, urogenital chlamydia leads to infertility.

Chlamydia in women, the symptoms of which, unfortunately, are known to many people, cause chlamydia, which can affect not only the reproductive system, but also other organs. This disease can easily cause infertility or miscarriage, and its treatment requires not only the use of effective drugs, but also proper diagnosis. It is noteworthy that the sexual partner must also undergo treatment.

Most often, people become infected with chlamydia through sexual contact, because it is not without reason that this disease belongs to the category of STIs (sexually transmitted infections). In addition, medicine knows cases of infection by airborne droplets and even household ones, which happens extremely rarely. The infection can pass from the mother to the fetus, because in the process of labor, the child is attacked by myriads of chlamydia, which literally "watch out" for him in the birth canal. Dangerous microorganisms penetrate the lungs or eyes of a newborn, as a result of which the respiratory system is affected and the baby is overcome by conjunctivitis.

The causative agent of the disease

The causative agent of chlamydia is chlamydia trachomatis, which is represented by the principle of action as a virus, and by structure - a bacterium. This "duality" provokes the disease to a latent course, which significantly complicates its treatment. Chlamydia trachomatis perfectly “introduces” into the human body, the good thing is that it has all the conditions for existence and reproduction. In addition, the pathogen is easily transformed into the L-form, which is why the immune system cannot cope with it, and the introduction into the internal structure of the cells makes it possible to diagnose the disease only through laboratory tests.

Why is chlamydia dangerous?

First of all, with its asymptomatic course, because the signs of this disease in women may not appear immediately. When chlamydia enters the mucous membranes, they begin to actively multiply, while killing healthy cells. This is fully facilitated by a weakened immune system.

The disease can proceed latently for two weeks or even more, and when the concentration of microorganisms reaches its climax (and this will happen sooner or later if the disease is not diagnosed in a timely manner), then the first signs of chlamydia appear:

• Burning when urinating, which may be frequent, as in cystitis.
• Mucopurulent discharge, with a bad yellow-greenish color and an even more unpleasant odor.
• There is an increase in body temperature, accompanied by a feeling of fatigue and "brokenness".
• Bleeding in the middle of the cycle.
• Weak pain in the lower abdomen.
• Itching in the urethra and in the region of the outer region of the labia majora.
• Cervical erosion.
• Pain in the lumbar region.
• Failure of the menstrual cycle.
• Conjunctivitis.
• Pain after intercourse.

Of course, all these symptoms in women cannot appear simultaneously, but an inevitable companion of chlamydia is an unpleasant odor that occurs even in the absence of strong secretions. Often the disease is asymptomatic, which complicates its diagnosis, and very often women do not go to the gynecologist, naively believing that this is just a “temporary disorder”. As a rule, the disease becomes chronic, and it is not easy to get rid of it. If chlamydia reproduces unhindered for a long time, then this is fraught with the appearance of very unpleasant diseases.

The main and main symptom is the inner feelings of a woman.

That is, if she feels that some discomfort and discomfort have appeared in the genitals, then she should immediately go to an appointment with a gynecologist. It is not necessary that this is chlamydia, because the majority of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) have symptoms similar to it. Not only suspecting and doubting women, but also future parents should be tested for chlamydia. That is, if a couple is planning a pregnancy, then passing such tests is mandatory for them.

Diseases due to untreated chlamydia

All the diseases listed below are inflammatory in nature, and in brackets what is subjected to this inflammation is indicated. If you wish, you can find photos of the affected organs on the Internet.

• Chlamydia colpitis (vaginal mucosa).
• Cervicitis (cervical canal).
• Endometritis (mucous layer of the uterus).
• Salpingitis (fallopian tubes).
• Salpingoophritis (uterine appendages).
• Chlamydial urethritis (urethra).
• Cystitis (bladder).
• Bartholinitis (Bartholin's glands).
• Paraurethritis (paraurethral glands).
• Vulvitis (mucosa of the external genitalia).

What primarily affects chlamydia

Chlamydia, the symptoms and treatment of which are individual (there are no universal signs and medications suitable for everyone), is an insidious and even dangerous disease. First of all, chlamydia enters the cervix and it is she who first suffers from their negative influence. They are introduced into the cells of the epithelium and begin to multiply inside the cells. After, the pathogens leave the destroyed cells.

In general, infection starts from the lower part of the so-called urogenital tract, which, in addition to the cervix, consists of the bladder, vagina, urethra and external genital organs, but the cervix is ​​the most vulnerable of them and suffers from chlamydia in the first place. And how chlamydia is manifested, every adult is simply obliged to know in order to be able to timely prevent the possible consequences of an attack by these half-viruses - half-bacteria.
While they multiply, a woman may not feel their presence in her body, but when the incubation period ends, an unpleasant smell from the vagina and purulent discharge appear, which clearly indicate that it is chlamydia, although this diagnosis can be confirmed or refuted only after laboratory testing.
In the process of destruction of epithelial cells, cytokines are released, which increase the blood supply to areas contaminated with chlamydia. As a result, the permeability of the capillary walls increases, which causes the appearance of a focus of inflammation. It is from it that the causative agent of the disease in the lymph nodes and lymph spreads throughout the body. Thus, chlamydia get into almost all organs and systems, but especially they "love" the mucous membranes, urethra, eyes and joints.

Stages of chlamydia

The causative agent penetrates the female body and firmly settles on the mucous membranes. How does chlamydia manifest itself in women in the first stage? Not yet, because he has just begun to develop new "territories", the good thing is that there is a nutrient medium for the full reproduction of microorganisms.
Chlamydia begin to attack the cells, penetrating into them and destroying them. This stage lasts approximately three days from the moment of infection. In fact, there is nothing to be treated for yet, because chlamydia has not yet shown itself in any way, but it can already be diagnosed, for which you need to go to the gynecologist immediately after unprotected intercourse with a dubious partner and take a smear for analysis.
The infection begins to spread in the body and manifest itself. And it is at the third stage that the first “bells” appear, for example, an unpleasant odor, not yet purulent discharge, pain in the lower abdomen, fever, etc. Such events occur about fifteen days after the infection enters the body.
At the fourth stage, changes occur in organs and systems, and the symptoms of chlamydia in women become even more pronounced, and if they are almost completely absent, then here we can already say that the disease has become chronic.

Smell and discharge

The first thing that chlamydia can manifest itself is an unpleasant smell from the vagina. Most of the ladies in this case do not even realize that they have become a victim of chlamydia, which have already begun their work, and the disgusting amber is a clear confirmation of this. Some women try to fight it by increasing the frequency of washing, using "intimate" deodorants and scented pads. Only this is all a disguise, and a very unreliable one, because the smell is constantly becoming more and more pronounced and it is impossible to get rid of it.
Purulent discharge is not such a rarity, given the specifics of the disease. It is worth taking into account the fact that if a woman has chlamydia, then normally her vaginal discharge should be white or completely transparent. If the patient suffers from some other gynecological or infectious diseases, then the discharge may have a yellow or even greenish tint.
If the discharge is too abundant, then this is not a manifestation of chlamydia at all, since the main symptom is still an unpleasant odor. If they are moderately viscous and thin, then this means that the disease is still in its early stages. Purulent discharge has a thicker consistency, and their appearance clearly indicates that the process has gone too far.

Chlamydia in children

A child can also become a victim of chlamydia if he was born into the world of an infected mother suffering from an acute form of the disease. In this case, chlamydia affects the mucous membrane of the eyes or respiratory organs, in addition, this disease can easily have a negative impact on other organs and systems.

In severe cases, the disease can be fatal. Chlamydia in children has the following symptoms:

1. Cough.
2. Edema of the larynx.
3. Otitis.
4. Elevated temperature.
5. Rhinitis and nasopharyngitis.
6. Conjunctivitis.
7. Enteritis.

It should be taken into account that the causative agent of the disease literally cannot live without mucous membranes, therefore it is very rarely transmitted by airborne droplets. In children, the treatment of this disease is reduced to taking antibiotics, and in some cases it may not be prescribed at all, but this is only when the immune system independently copes with the pathogens that have entered the body.