Chlamydia infection overview

Overview
Chlamydia is an infection of the bacterial genius, Chlamydia trachomatis. It is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in people worldwide &mdash; about 2.8 million cases of chlamydia infection occur in the United States each year. If untreated, chlamydial infections can cause serious reproductive and other health problems with both short-term and long-term consequences. Chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotics.

Background

 * The term Chlamydia refers to an infection by any one of the species in the bacterial genus Chlamydia—Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydia suis or Chlamydia muridarum—, but of these, only C. trachomatis is found in humans. For a list of species formerly included in the genus Chlamydia, please see Chlamydophila. 

Chlamydia (from the Greek, χλαμύδος meaning "cloak") is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia is a major infectious cause of human eye and genital disease. C. trachomatis is naturally found living only inside human cells and is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in people worldwide &mdash; about 2.8 million cases of chlamydia infection occur in the United States each year. Chlamydia can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, and can be passed from an infected mother to her baby during vaginal childbirth. Many people with Chlamydia exhibit no symptoms of infection. Between half and three-quarters of all women who have chlamydia have no symptoms and do not know that they are infected. If untreated, chlamydial infections can cause serious reproductive and other health problems with both short-term and long-term consequences. Chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotics. Of equal importance, chlamydia infection of the eye is the most common cause of preventable blindness in the world. Blindness occurs as a complication of trachoma (chlamydia conjunctivitis).