Medical Questions » Venereal Diseases (STD) Questions » Question No. 1020
| Question: | My GP has diagnosed my vaginal irritation as a ' chlamidya' infection after taking some tests. She has given me some tablets to take, but I would like to know more about this problem. |
| Answer: | Chlamydial vaginal infections are one of the most common forms of sexually transmitted disease in both sexes.
Chlamydiae are a group of organisms that are not bacteria, but closely resemble bacteria. They act as parasites inside human ceils, cause the destruction of the cell where they multiply, and then move on to infect more cells.
They cause irritation of the vagina in women, and urethra (utine tube from bladder to outside) in both men and women, so that passing urine may be uncomfortable. In tare severe cases it can spread to the nearby lymph nodes in the groin to cause lymphogranuloma venereum.
The infection is difficult to diagnose, but swabs from affected area are sometimes positive. Blood tests can also be used to make the diagnosis with internal infecrions.
Once suspected, it can be successfully treated with appropriate antibiotics.
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