Become an STI Expert With Our Handy Germ Guide | Page 11 of 14

11/14

Chlamydia

Chlamydia bacteria have a stage of life where they invade and live inside host cells, which can be seen above in the darker colored circles. — Chlamydia bacteria have a stage of life where they invade and live inside host cells, which can be seen above in the darker colored circles. Image: CDC/ Dr. E. Arum; Dr. N. Jacobs

The infection: Chlamydia, caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. Nearly 1.6 million infections in the U.S. were reported in 2020.

Symptoms and long-term effects: In men, it can trigger a burning sensation while urinating, discharge, and pain in one or both testicles. In women, it can cause vaginal discharge and a burning sensation while urinating. If left untreated in women, it can also cause permanent damage to the reproductive system, as well as be transmitted to a fetus in the womb, raising the risk of complications like conjunctivitis or pneumonia in newborns.

How to treat it: Chlamydia can be easily treated with antibiotics, though regular STD testing is advised for sexually active people, since people often don’t experience symptoms.

Related Articles

Samsung AI Kitchen

Samsung Bespoke AI Refrigerator Wants to Take the Stress Out of the Kitchen

You’ll never have to wrack your brain trying to remember what you have in the fridge again.

Partners Partner Content With Samsung

Doris Lessing Nobel Prize Reaction

Nobel Prizes: 5 Unlikely Winner Reactions, From the Unbothered to the Downright Mad

Apparently people just have better things to do than win the world's most prestigious prize.

Science Gayoung Lee

Alzheimers Mouse Bbb Reverse

Scientists Just Reversed Alzheimer’s in Mice. Could They Do It in Humans?

Instead of targeting neurons, the researchers specifically sought to repair a critical part of the brain that keeps disease-inducing toxins out.

Health Gayoung Lee

Cat With Catnip

Wild Pharmacists: The Surprising Ways Animals Self-Medicate

A new book due out in March delves into the rich and complex world of animal self-medication.

Biology Ed Cara

Government Funding For Science

A Day’s Delay in Government Funding Can Scramble Lifesaving Medical Research

Medical research depends on government money, and even brief delays in the intricate funding process can throw science off-kilter.

Health Aliasger K. Salem, The Conversation

Journavx Bottle

No Opioids, No Addiction: FDA Approves First New Type of Painkiller in Decades

Suzetrigine prevents pain signals from reaching the brain and doesn't give an opioid-like high, making it non-addictive—but it's expensive.

Health Margherita Bassi

Sign up for our newsletters