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Michael Shirazi M.D.


Chlamydia

Michael Shirazi MD offers accurate Chlamydia testing and treatment in his 2 private medical offices.

What is Chlamydia?

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection. Chlamydia is a very common STD in NY. In the U.S., it is the most common STD of the upper genital tract. It is caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis. It has been estimated that there are 2.8 million infections in the U.S. annually. Chlamydia infections in males fall under the class of nongonococcal urethritis. In women these infections fall under the class of nongonoocccal mucopurlent cervicitis. Chlamydia testing is essential for the following reasons: Many cases are asymptomatic. Undiagnosed cases may lead to infertility. Chlamydia is easily transmitted.

Transmission of Chlamydia
Infection with Chlamydia occurs by direct inoculation; vaginally, orally, penile, ocular, and anally. 

Chlamydia Symptoms
Most people who have the STD Chlamydia are not aware of their infection. Approximately 75% of women who are infected with Chlamydia are asymptomatic. Approximately 50% of infected men are asymptomatic.

When symptoms of Chlamydia do present, they usually occur 1-3 weeks after exposure.

Symptoms are similar to Gonorrhea, yet they are more indolent. Men often have a penile discharge that is mucopurulent. They may also have a burning sensation while urinating. Many men also present with itching, abnormal sensations, or burning of the penis, especially itching and abnormal sensations at the tip of the penis. Occasionally there may be painful testicular swelling which may signify more serious disease. 

Women may have a vaginal discharge, vaginal itch, vaginal bleeding, painful intercourse, burning urination, lower abdominal pain, nausea, and or fever.

If there has been anal inoculation, symptoms in that region include the following: Anal pruritis, which is itching of the anus, painful defecation, and rectal fullness.

In cases of oral inoculation there may be a mucopurulent discharge or sore throat. However, oral infections are usually asymptomatic. 


Chlamydia Complications
Although Chlamydia infections often have no symptoms, its complications may be devastating. Chlamydia can lead to PID (pelvic inflammatory disease.) This can be fatal or may cause infertility. Also, it can cause epididymitis which may cause infertility in men. 

Chlamydia Testing
Chlamydia testing has become very simple. For most patients, a simple urine sample is all that is needed to provide the doctor with for testing. 

Tests done for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia can vary greatly in accuracy when performed by different healthcare providers. Here are some important facts on Chlamydia testing.

  1. The sensitivity of tests, that is the percentage of cases of disease that is actually picked up from a Gonorrhea or Chlamydia test, varies from 60% to 95%. Therefore, it is vital to know which test will yield the highest sensitivity for each patient. At Current New York Medical P.C., we know which tests are best for each individual.

  2. Improper selection of tests can lead to falsely negative test results which we often find in test results of patients that are referred from other centers to our office.

  3. Improper collection or handling of patient specimens can lead to false positive and false negative test results.
  4. A proper test for Gonorrhea or Chlamydia for one site of the body is not necessarily the proper test for another site of the body.

  5. Emerging strains of Gonorrhea and Chlamydia demands vigilance in surveillance. For example, 2007 saw a variant of Chlamydia which would not normally be picked up on the usual most accurate chlamydia test. A doctor needs to be aware of the limitations of testing according to emerging strains of microbes.

Treatment of Chlamydia
Chlamydia treatment is simple. It is often easily cured by antibiotics. First line treatment entails a one week course of Doxycycline or a one day, high dose course of Azithromycin. There are other treatment options as well. Sometimes, people are treated without testing when the cost of a Chlamydia test is a factor. It is very important to refrain from sexual relations until treatment is completed for at least 1 week. Also, all partners should be tested and/or treated as the risk of re-infection is high.

At Current New York Medical P.C., we are up-to-date with surveillance date for potential resistant strains of Chlamydia to help ensure that our patients receive optimal treatment. 

Once a patient is diagnosed with Gonorrhea or Chlamydia, the provider giving the news should know how to properly treat the patient, he/she should know the risk of treatment failure, the course of disease after treatment, and should understand the subtle signs and symptoms of serious disease. 

At Current New York Medical P.C., we are devoted to providing excellent care and accurate, knowledgeable STD evaluations and treatment. 


This material was written by Michael Shirazi MD.  It is meant for informational purposes only.  All material is protected under U.S. Copyright Law.

Copyright © 2011 Dr. Shirazi - All Rights Reserved