Chlamydia in women: symptoms. How to treat chlamydia in women? Analyzes for chlamydia in women

Chlamydia for humans is an unconditioned pathogen, normally it should not be present in the body. This bacterium has several varieties. In this case, we are most interested in chlamydia trachomatis. In women and men, it causes such a common infection, as urogenital chlamydia. The remaining species of microorganism affect animals.

Morphology of pathogen

Chlamydia trachomatis is a unique bacterium. Its habitat is living cells. Initially, the action of the microorganism extended exclusively to birds and mammals, but for a long time already the mutating form has also affected man. The pathogen has a dual nature. On the one hand, it lives in living cells and is characterized by the ability to parasitize inside them. In this way, it is more like a virus, but in structure it is a bacterium. Infection with the mentioned microorganism now occurs quite often. If you believe statistics, chlamydia in women (symptoms, the causes of infection, we'll discuss below) occur in sixty cases out of a hundred. It must be said that the human body is not susceptible to such infection, therefore, even after the course of treatment, immunity is not produced.

Ways of infection

Predominantly, the pathogen is transmitted sexually, both in genital and anal sexual acts. It is difficult to say about the extent of the spread of a microorganism in oral sex. And do you know why chlamydia is so common in women? The causes of rapid infection are as follows:

1) bacteria are able to contaminate spermatozoa, that is, attach to them, and due to this, rapidly disseminate (spread) across all parts of the reproductive system;

2) only one unprotected contraceptive sexual intercourse is sufficient for infection.

With a mouth-to-mouth kiss, if there is no sperm in the mouth and lips, and when kissing the skin of the skin (hands, cheeks, forehead, body, etc.), chlamydia is not transmitted.

In pregnant women infected with a microorganism, there is a reasonable question: "Is chlamydia dangerous in an" interesting "situation?" The answer is disappointing. There is a risk of transmission of the disease to the child: transplacental (during pregnancy through the placenta) and intranatally (in the process of delivery during the passage of the fetus). For a baby, this is fraught with serious consequences: it can develop pneumonia or conjunctivitis.

Let's notice, that it is possible to earn a clamidiosis not only sexual, but also a household way. How in this case do they detect the presence of chlamydia? Symptoms in women with such infection will be the same as in case of infection through sexual contact, because, as already noted, bacteria are spread very quickly throughout the body. However, the likelihood of catching an infection through contact with the skin, handshake, common household items and even when petting is extremely small.

Development of chlamydia

The mucosa of the cervical canal often becomes the primary source of chlamydia. Women have no symptoms during this period. Bacteria attach to cells, penetrate into them, multiply inside, and then leave the elementary units, not forgetting to destroy their shells. The incubation period on the average is twenty to thirty days. At this time, it is not possible to identify chlamydia.

The destroyed cells of the mucous canal of the cervix begin to secrete cytokines, which increases blood flow, increases membrane permeability and increases the migration of lymphocytes into the tissue. As a result, an inflammatory focus is formed. From it, microorganisms are sent to the nearest lymph nodes through the lymphatic vessels, and then spread throughout the body. It is believed that absolutely in any tissues and organs chlamydia can be present. In women, the symptoms can thus be different. In general, the area of the cervix, urethra, eyes, joints suffers. Indeed, these are the favorite places of pathogens.

How the immune system reacts to bacteria

Depending on various factors, the activity of immunity may vary. So, it decreases five to seven days before menstruation, with oral contraceptives, with insufficient sleep, a state of inner dissatisfaction, fatigue after work or physical training. Such conditions help primary chronization of pathogens.

Do not always cause chlamydia symptoms in women. Treatment is sometimes performed incorrectly, because the infection is taken for some other pathology of the urethra. Usually, the lesion begins with the cervix, then can go directly to the uterus, and then spreads through the uterine tubes to the peritoneum and the ovaries. There are cases of infection of the rectum with bacteria. Acute reaction to inflammation was rare.

Chlamydia in women: symptoms

Specific manifestations of urogenital chlamydia do not. Most often, it proceeds secretly, in this case there are no signs. Chlamydia in women, unfortunately, in seventy percent of cases, "sleep." As a result, the disease is diagnosed late, and treatment does not start in time. Still, doctors sometimes recognize symptoms that suggest the presence of pathogens in the body.

So, how do women develop chlamydia? Firstly, you can feel the itching in the urethra, and secondly, the process of urination can become painful (but insignificantly); thirdly, you can detect mucopurulent discharge from the vagina. In addition, pain and heaviness in the lumbar region, strong moisture of the genital organs, damage to the cervix of an erosive nature, pulling pains in the abdomen, malfunctions in the menstrual cycle and frequent urge to urinate are often observed. There are other signs. Chlamydia in women can provoke general malaise, fever, development of conjunctivitis (if the eyes were involved in the infection process).

Chlamydia in pregnant women

As already mentioned, an infected mother, depending on the source of inflammation, can transmit the infection to the child either during labor or in utero. During pregnancy, the disease also does not manifest itself, however, some women show inflammation or pseudo-erosion of the cervix. But the complications are very serious. The presence of chlamydia in the body can lead to ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage at an early age, polyhydramnios, fetal hypoxia. If bacteria affect the placenta, the child's breathing and eating are violated.

Chlamydia and after childbirth can cause many problems. Infected children suffer from cardiac and vascular diseases, pathology of the respiratory tract, nervous system, intestines. In addition, they become permanent patients with an oculist. It also happens that parents for a long time trying to cope with poor eyesight of the child, but they can not even imagine where the real reason for this ailment lies. There are cases when family members in two or even three generations have been infected with chlamydia from each other in different ways, even if only through ordinary towels and washcloths. And this is fraught with infertility in children.

Diagnosis of the disease

If one of the partners has detected bacteria, the examination should go both. Analyzes for chlamydia in women are taken after anamnesis: information about the presence of chronic inflammations of the sexual organs, cases of miscarriage, infertility, inflammation in the partner of the genitourinary tract, pathological course of pregnancy in the past. Also the gynecologist necessarily examines the sexual organs of a woman to detect manifestations of the inflammatory process, for example, flushing, swelling, discharge.

If during the collection of anamnesis and examination of the patient there were signs of urogenital infection, and in the past there were miscarriages, pregnancy pathologies, there is infertility or it turned out that the partner suffers from urogenital inflammation, then a comprehensive examination is appointed. It includes general blood and urine tests, bacterioscopic analysis of vaginal discharge (smear), seeding for dysbacteriosis and determining antibiotic susceptibility, as well as PCR diagnostics (smear from the affected area of the genital mucosa).

Chlamydia is diagnosed if antibodies to chlamydia are detected in the blood, and the bacteria themselves are detected in the smear taken from the affected area. The sowing is called to reveal the accompanying chlamydia microflora. It is also recommended for a general assessment of the clinical picture to conduct studies on mycoplasmas, HIV, ureaplasmas, hepatitis and other infections that can be transmitted during sexual intercourse.

PCR analysis

This is the most sensitive study for chlamydia. PCR is a molecular diagnostic method, tested by time. The analysis makes it possible to detect a pathogenic flora, even if the sample contains only a couple of chlamydia DNA molecules. If carried out correctly, the accuracy of the study reaches one hundred percent. The presence of microorganisms can be identified even when they exist in a latent form. This allows you to start treatment early.

Chlamydia in women, however, can be diagnosed wrongly. PCR analysis with all its advantages does not always give the right results. The fact is that if contamination of the sample material or if the study was carried out after the course of chlamydiosis therapy, false positive results can be obtained. But it's not so bad. Worse, when the analysis is false-negative: the bacteria actually present in the body are not detected, as a consequence, treatment is not performed.

Chlamydia in women can not be detected if:

• Failed to take the material for the study;
• The patient took active antibiotics or applied candles less than a month before the analysis:
• Urine less than an hour before sampling the material for the study.

Also, PCR diagnostics can show a negative result if the inflammatory process is localized in the deep parts of the reproductive system (fallopian tubes, ovaries). In this case, the genome of the microorganism will be absent in the sample.

Proceeding from all told, it is possible to draw a conclusion, that it is impossible to be limited only by PTSR-analysis and exclusively on the basis of it to put the diagnosis. It is recommended to combine various methods of research, and for questionable results to re-pass the examination. It is necessary not only to determine the pathogen itself, but also to evaluate the immune response (reaction of the body) using serological tests, for example, ELISA.

Chlamydia in women: treatment, drugs

After carrying out diagnostic measures and confirming the diagnosis, a course of therapy is prescribed. Have patience, because it's rather difficult to treat chlamydia in women. These microorganisms, unlike other pathogenic bacteria, with great difficulty give in to therapy. Pathogens are able to adapt to the effects of medications or completely hide from drugs. But nevertheless doctors know how to cure chlamydia in women. And the sooner the therapy is started, the less is the risk of complications. Under no circumstances should infection be chronic.

The course of therapy is prescribed only by a specialist. Do not self-medicate! Chlamydia trachomatis can easily go into deep cells, then complications can not be avoided. Among themselves, doctors refer to chlamydia as a disease of young people, because the age of infected usually varies from seventeen to thirty-five years. Wrong therapy is fraught with very terrible consequences for very young women: infertility, intrauterine infection, disability. Such an outcome can ruin the life of any girl. Therefore, regularly undergo examinations, if there is any reason, and do not hesitate to contact a specialist in case of detection of inflammation of the genitals.

Combination Therapy

For each patient, the doctor individually selects a therapy regimen. But treatment should always be combined. First, antibiotics with a wide spectrum of action are prescribed. Among such drugs can be identified "Tetracycline", "Sulfanilamide", "Penicillin", "Azithromycin". Secondly, there is a therapy aimed at maintaining immunity during the period of illness and alleviating its course. For this, immunostimulants are used, for example, intravenously or intramuscularly, "Cycloferon" is administered. In addition, the patient must comply with the appropriate diet: to eat rationally and correctly, take multivitamins, completely refuse to drink alcoholic beverages. Experts in some cases advise to perform laser irradiation of blood. This procedure can improve the effectiveness of antibiotics and have a beneficial effect on the immune system.

Now you know how to treat chlamydia in women. But it is worth noting that the therapy will be useless, if we only have one partner. Must be treated by two! After passing the therapeutic course, you should re-take the necessary tests. Even if the results are negative, in the next two months, you still need to conduct control tests (once a month to carry out a relapse test). Only after this time it will be possible to say with certainty that the treatment was successful, and your body is no longer populated with parasites such as chlamydia.

Consequences of the disease

As we have already said, if you consult a doctor in a timely manner, complications can be avoided. However, due to the fact that chlamydia often has an asymptomatic nature of the course, a neglected disease is not uncommon. What is threatening a woman who has not started to be treated on time? A whole bouquet of various sores:

1. Cervicitis is an inflammatory process in the cervix.
2. Hemorrhagic cystitis - develops in the case when bacteria penetrate the walls of the bladder.
3. Urethritis is an inflammatory process in the urethra.
4. Endometritis is an inflammatory process in the endometrium of the uterus.
5. Inflammation lining the entrance to the vagina of the Bartholin glands.
6. All kinds of pathologies of inflammatory nature of the pelvic organs (ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes).
7. Obstruction of fallopian tubes.
8. The appearance of chronic pain in the area of the pelvic organs.
9. Inflammatory process in the liver.
10. Infertility.

Complications that may occur in pregnant women include:

• Ectopic pregnancy;
• Inflammation of the uterine mucosa;
• Spontaneous abortion;
• Premature rupture of the amniotic fluid;
• Premature birth.

Prophylaxis of chlamydia

As you probably already understood from the material presented, penetration into the body of chlamydia entails many health problems. We all know the truism, which says that the disease is easier to prevent than cure. No doubt, so it is. What should be done to protect yourself from such an unpleasant and dangerous disease?

First, you need to have a permanent sexual partner, in a state of health which you do not doubt. Secondly, it is necessary to refuse casual sexual contacts with different men. Many people ask: "Why deprive yourself of pleasure, because you can protect yourself?" Of course, the use of contraceptives will reduce the risk of infection, but not protect against it completely. Unfortunately, today, there are no contraceptives that give an absolute guarantee of protection from infection with any disease. Also do not forget to visit a specialist on a regular basis and undergo scheduled inspections. And, of course, follow all the rules of personal hygiene: use only your towel and your washcloth; In case you do not live alone, treat the bath before washing.