Glossary of Medical and Health Terms

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) 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 - 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).

Associated ICD-10 code: A55.-A56.8 and A70.-A74.9.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlamydia_infection

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