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SafeSexGuide
CHLAMYDIA
CHLAMYDIA

Also known as: NGU, Nongonococcal Urethritis, UU, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Urethritis

How you get it (Exposure):

Unprotected sucking or fucking. It is often a sexually transmitted infection, but does not require penetration to spread between partners. Close physical contact may be enough. It can also be found in your throat and anus. Men who pass foreign objects into their urethra are also at risk for infections. In addition to chlamydia (which can be found in a partner's throat), you can also develop urethritis from other bacteria that are normally present in a partner's mouth and then spread to your urethra during unprotected oral sex. Men with penile piercings that pass through the urethra are also more likely to develop a urethritis which may not be sexually transmitted.

Warning Signs (Symptoms):

Most of the time there are no symptoms; they usually show up within one to five weeks if they do appear.

For Men: Discharge from tip of the penis; it burns when peeing; burning or itching around the penis hole; swollen balls.

For Women: Discharge or a burning sensation while peeing; lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during intercourse, and bleeding between menstrual periods.

Getting Checked Out (Diagnosis) / Treatment:

Doctors diagnose the infection by examining your penile discharge. If your doctor cultures your discharge (it takes several days to obtain a result) and a specific bacteria turns up, then your treatment will be tailored to kill that organism. Most often, however, no organism grows and your doctor suspects that you have NGU caused either by chlamydia or UU. Treatment will be tailored to kill these organisms.

The most common treatment is azithromycin (Zithromax) in a single one gram dose. Alternative treatments include tetracycline or doxycicline for one to two weeks.

If Left Untreated:

If untreated, the infection can spread from your urethra to your epididymis and prostate. You can even spread it to other parts of your own body. Chlamydia is one of the most common STDs to infect your eye by spreading it on your fingers. Women can contract pelvic inflammatory disease which causes permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus and tissues surrounding the ovaries. This damage can lead to chronic pelvic pain, infertility and potentially fatal pregnancy.

Prevention:

Using a condom correctly will prevent chlamydia.

Prevalence:

There are over four million new cases each year in the U.S.

by Stephen E. Goldstone, M.D., F.A.C.S.


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Sexually Transmitted Diseases
CHLAMYDIA

CHLAMYDIA Also known as: NGU, Nongonococcal Urethritis, UU, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Urethritis How you get it (Exposure): Unprotected sucking or fucking. It is often a sexually transmitte...

LYMPHOGRANULOMA VENEREUM

LYMPHOGRANULOMA VENEREUM (LGV) How You Get It (Exposure): LGV is transmitted in the same way as Chlamydia, through unprotected oral or anal sex or other sexual contact. Warning Signs (Symptom...

MOLLUSCUM

MOLLUSCUM How You Get It (Exposure): Molluscum spreads from one person to another during any close physical skin to skin contact. Though most often the transmition occurs during sex, the virus...

CRABS

CRABS Also known as: Pediculosis Pubis How You Get It (Exposure): Crabs are probably the easiest STD to catch. Usually they pass from one partner's pubic region to another's during close phys...

GENITAL WARTS

GENITAL WARTS Also known as: Condyloma, Venereal Warts, Anal Warts, Human Papilloma Virus, HPV How You Get It (Exposure): The human papillomavirus spreads between sexual partners during clo...

PROSTATITIS

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SCABIES

SCABIES Also known as: Sarcoptes scabiei How You Get It (Exposure): Although the infection can spread between partners during sex, any form of close contact is more than enough for the bug...

GONORRHEA

GONORRHEA Also known as: GC, "Clap", VD, "Drip", Urethritis, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, PID How You Get It (Exposure): Gonorrhea is spread via sexual contact: specifically anal, oral or v...

SYPHILIS

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HEPATITIS A

HEPATITIS A Also known as: Infectious Hepatitis How You Get It (Exposure): Hepatitis A passes between people via a "fecal/oral" route. Rimming an infected partner can give you the virus, ...

HEPATITIS B

HEPATITIS B How You Get It (Exposure): Hepatitis B virus can be found in an infected individual’s blood, semen and other bodily fluids. You are contagious before you know you are sick and for ...

HERPES

HERPES Also known as: Cold Sores, Herpes Simplex, Genital Herpes, Oral Herpes How You Get It (Exposure): Herpes is spread between partners during sex. There are rare cases described in med...

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS How You Get It (Exposure): HIV is present in four major body fluids. They are: - VAGINAL - SEMEN - BLOOD - BREAST MILK HIV transmission is not possible without...