How is chronic chlamydia treated? Causes and methods of treatment of chronic chlamydia. Consequences of chlamydia for men
Chronic chlamydia is a phrase indicating that the disease has reached an advanced stage. Perhaps this happened due to improper therapy, interrupted or not started treatment at all. In any case, to get rid of chronic chlamydia, you need to make an effort and be patient, because you need to carry out certain diagnostics, and the selected course of treatment can be long.
In this article we will talk about the symptoms of chronic chlamydia in men and women, find out what medications are prescribed for this disease, and also consider possible complications of chlamydia.
Chlamydia is an infectious disease caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. According to WHO, about 1 billion people worldwide suffer from chlamydia. The main route of transmission is sexual (during vaginal or anal intercourse), less often - through household contact.
The transition of chlamydia from an acute to a chronic form occurs due to late diagnosis of the disease or incorrect treatment. Typically the transition period lasts 2-3 months.
Chronic chlamydia is characterized by the formation of elementary bodies that stop at some stage of development without turning into reticular ones. Further diagnostic studies may reveal chlamydia-like structures that do not complete the development cycle, as a result of which they are not sensitive to antibiotics.
Signs of chronic chlamydia in men have no characteristic manifestations and are hidden behind nonspecific urethritis, accompanied by:
- burning during urination;
- itching in the initial part of the urethra;
- pain and discomfort in the scrotum;
- symptoms of prostatitis.
Important! In many cases, chlamydia in men is asymptomatic, which significantly impairs diagnosis and contributes to negative consequences.
In women, exacerbation of chronic chlamydia is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- vaginal discharge, mucopurulent in nature;
- burning when urinating;
- painful sensations in the lower abdomen;
- discomfort during sexual intercourse;
- itching of the genitals;
- intermenstrual bleeding;
- pain during menstruation.
In cases of advanced chronic chlamydia, Reiter's disease develops, which is a serious complication leading to disability. The syndrome is accompanied by asymmetric arthritis, urethritis and conjunctivitis.
Treatment methods for chronic chlamydia
Today, the treatment of chronic chlamydia has advanced significantly, thanks to modern diagnostic methods and medications. Treatment of this disease is carried out comprehensively, using different groups of medications.
For example, the treatment regimen for chronic chlamydia in women allows the use of:
- vitamins;
- immunomodulators;
- probiotics;
- hepatoprotectors;
- adaptogens;
- antibiotics;
- vaginal suppositories and tampons;
- baths;
- enzymes;
- physiotherapy.
Regardless of the gender of the patient, before prescribing treatment, the doctor must conduct an antibiotic sensitivity test. In addition, when treating a chronic disease, the simultaneous use of two antibacterial drugs is recommended.
As for what is prescribed for men with chronic chlamydia, the treatment is almost identical, but has slight differences. The following types of drugs are used:
- antibiotics;
- probiotics;
- hepatoprotectors;
- immunomodulators;
- enzymes;
- rectal suppositories;
- enemas;
- baths;
- physiotherapeutic methods.
To treat chronic chlamydia, antibiotics from the group of macrolides or fluoroquinolones are usually used. The instructions for these drugs, as well as the recommendations of a specialist, state that the course of treatment should last at least 14 days.
Quite often the antibiotic azithromycin, a macrolide, is prescribed. This remedy has many features that are not characteristic of conventional macrolides, which makes it very effective in the fight against chlamydia.
The treatment regimen with azithromycin for chronic chlamydia is selected individually, depending on the severity of symptoms and the severity of the disease.
According to the standard, they prescribe:
- 1 g once a day, 1-2 hours before meals in the early stages of chlamydia.
- In chronic - 0.5 g twice a day for the first 3 days of the course, and 0.25 g 4 times a day in subsequent days.
The danger of chronic pathology
Chlamydia, like many other diseases affecting the reproductive system, can lead to certain undesirable health consequences. Neglecting the symptoms that have arisen, delaying or refusing treatment - the cost of such actions is sometimes too high, but not many people think about this at the initial stage.
Complications of chronic chlamydia:
From the photos and videos in this article, we learned that untreated chlamydia is quite dangerous, and we also became familiar with the treatment options for this disease.
Frequently asked questions to the doctor
Which drug to choose
Good afternoon. I am currently on antibiotic therapy for chronic chlamydia, but my doctor insists on prescribing metronidazole for chlamydia. Is this drug really necessary?
Greetings. Metronidazole is an antimicrobial and antiprotozoal drug. Prescribing it for chlamydia is justified in cases where there are concomitant infectious diseases, for example trichomoniasis.
A disease whose duration exceeds one month is considered chronic in medicine. The insidious sexually transmitted infection chlamydia is no exception. According to statistics, more than 110 million people all over the planet fall ill with chronic chlamydia every year.
Chlamydia is the causative agent of this pathology. After the introduction of these microorganisms into the body through the entrance gate, an acute form of the disease first develops, followed by a transition to a chronic form. The most common reason for this pathological phenomenon is the lack of adequate or timely treatment.
Why does the acute form become chronic?
Chlamydia begins with a latent (incubation) period. Its duration corresponds to the time from the beginning of the introduction of the pathogen into the body (that is, infection) until the manifestation of its vital activity in it. The duration of this period varies - from several days to 2 months - and depends on the person’s immune status. The latent period ends with the manifestation of signs characteristic of the acute course of the disease. However, it is possible that its symptoms will be erased or absent altogether, which poses a particular danger to health, since untreated acute chlamydia contributes to a chronic process.
How can you become infected?
Chlamydia enters the human body during sexual intercourse. The entrance gates are:
- mucous membranes of the genital organs of women and men, that is, the vagina, cervix, urethra;
- rectal mucosa - during anal intercourse;
- oral mucosa - during oral sex.
The pathological process is triggered by reduced immunity, as well as chronic or sexually transmitted diseases. If a pregnant woman is infected, then during childbirth, when the baby passes through the birth canal, the infection can be transmitted to him. In this case, the child may develop conjunctivitis, otitis media and even pneumonia. It is difficult to become infected through close household contact. That is, when swimming in a pool, steaming in a sauna, or using shared towels, it is almost impossible to become infected.
Experts have identified another form of the disease - persistent, in which chlamydia, entering the human body, does not multiply, but seems to “sleep” in anticipation of failures in the host’s immune system. According to statistics, approximately 15% of people who are sexually active are just carriers of chlamydia, the symptoms of which they do not have. In such a case, the person is the source of infection and infects sexual partners. Even with the help of modern diagnostic methods, it is not always possible to detect carriage. Symptoms of the disease begin to appear when other sexually transmitted infections are involved, for example, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis.
Clinical manifestation of the disease
The course of the disease in chronic form has its own differences. The patient may not be bothered at all, or the symptoms may be smoothed out and practically not manifest themselves.
In the classic course of the pathology, when immunity is reduced, in women the disease manifests itself as follows:
- Mucopurulent discharge occurs from the genitals. In addition to the pathological volume, an unpleasant odor and color are noted;
- the disease is accompanied by pain symptoms. The pain is nagging in nature and is localized in the lumbar region, groin or lower abdomen;
- Intermenstrual bleeding is possible;
- burning sensation during sexual intercourse, as well as during urination.
In men, advanced chlamydia is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- discharge from the urethra, which occurs mainly in the morning;
- a feeling of discomfort (burning, slight itching) at the time of urination;
- difficulty urinating;
- pain in the groin, testicles;
- discharge of cloudy urine;
- the appearance of blood streaks in semen and urine;
- adhesion of the terminal end of the urethra.
Read also on the topic
What are the risks of chlamydia in pregnant women and how to treat it?
In addition to local symptoms, chlamydia is characterized by general changes in the body, which is expressed in lethargy, hyperthermia, fatigue, and decreased appetite. This is how intoxication syndrome manifests itself, indicating the spread of infection beyond the affected system.
In pregnant women, chlamydia manifests itself with similar symptoms. The danger of this condition lies in the infection of the child as it passes through the birth canal. The disease significantly reduces immunity, predisposing to inflammation not only of the urinary organs and vagina. After childbirth, there is a high risk of metritis (inflammation of the uterus).
Complications of the chronic form
Among the main complications are:
- a long-term inflammatory process leads to the formation of adhesions, which limit the spread of pathology beyond the lesion and at the same time lead to structural and functional changes in the organs of the reproductive system. In men, adhesions block the testes; in women, obstruction of the fallopian tubes develops. Against the background of ongoing processes, infertility may develop;
- A long-term pathological process with an advanced disease progresses and “spreads” not only to neighboring organs (bladder, urethra), but also affects distant systems of the body, for example, vision, lungs. Often one of the pathologies occurs, called Reiter's disease, accompanied by simultaneous damage to the eyes, urinary organs and joints;
- deformation of the urethra in the form of narrowings and kinks. Her only treatment option is surgery;
- narrowing of the sperm ducts leads to impaired sperm formation and infertility in men;
- prostatitis, first acute and then chronic, is accompanied by a change in the quality of the secretion secreted by the prostate gland and the death of male germ cells, and, consequently, infertility;
- the chronic form of the disease is fraught with the spread of infection to the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and heart.
Laboratory diagnostics
Chlamydia can be detected randomly during preventive examinations, as well as during tests to make a diagnosis, since the signs of the disease alone are not always enough for the doctor to make an accurate diagnosis. Additional research methods help to verify this.
Persons who should be tested first:
- if you have a promiscuous sex life with frequent changes of partners;
- if this disease is detected in a sexual partner;
- women suffering from primary or secondary infertility, even if the sexual partner does not have a history of this disease;
- women with a history of spontaneous miscarriages, premature birth, ectopic pregnancy;
- men suffering from infertility;
- women who have the following pathologies: cervical erosion, metritis, vaginitis.
In order to detect microorganisms, a scraping is made, which contains cells of an organ, for example, the urethra, cervix, or mucous membrane of the eye. Scrapings are taken with special disposable instruments. In addition, blood, urine, and semen tests will confirm the disease.
In modern times, chronic chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. In the world, the number of sick people is constantly growing, especially for young people who begin to be sexually active early, often change partners, and neglect contraception.
If the acute stage of the disease is not treated in a timely manner, it goes into the chronic stage, which is difficult to diagnose and cure.
The concept of chronic chlamydia
The chronic form of chamidiasis is a sexually transmitted disease characterized by a long course, the absence of obvious manifestations, and the occurrence of frequent complications.
This infectious disease is often disguised as chronic inflammatory diseases such as cystitis, prostatitis, urethritis, etc.
The causative agents of the infection are pathogenic microorganisms - chlamydia. Bacteria of this class are capable of infecting the human genitourinary, respiratory, cardiovascular systems, and organs of vision, causing dangerous consequences.
Chlamydia infection spreads easily:
- horizontally - during unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral, anal);
- vertically - from mother to child during labor.
Outside the human body, chlamydia quickly dies, so it is almost impossible to become infected with this infection through household contact.
The incubation period can range from 2 weeks to several months. If the infection is not detected at this time and treatment is not started, it becomes chronic.
Causes and mechanism of development
Frequent causes of the formation of chronic chlamydia should be considered:
- asymptomatic course of the disease;
- ignoring signs of pathology;
- self-medication;
- late seeking of professional help;
- incompetence in matters of drug treatment;
- violation of the prescribed treatment regimen by the patient.
Advanced chlamydia is caused by the mechanism of development of pathogenic microbes adapted to the new conditions of their existence.
When chlamydia enters the human body, it is attacked by cells of the immune system. With good immunity, the body's defenses are very strong.
In response to this, the microbe goes into its special latent form, stops the development cycle and subsides. But a person with a latent form of infection is no less dangerous for others; he continues to infect his sexual partners without knowing it.
When favorable conditions arise, chlamydia becomes active and begins to appear with renewed vigor. They spread to the cells of the mucous membranes, where they rapidly multiply. Due to the ability of the causative agent to camouflage itself well and the ability to adapt to new conditions, the infection is difficult to detect and treat.
The main factor contributing to the development of chlamydia is a weakening of the immune system due to any diseases, hypothermia, prolonged stress, etc. The causative agents of other sexually transmitted diseases that enter the body as a result of promiscuity can accelerate the development cycle of the disease.
Symptoms of chronic chlamydia
Symptoms of the disease differ between men and women. At the same time, it is quite difficult to detect the disease in a chronic form without a medical examination - they practically do not manifest themselves.
During the period of exacerbation, when the infection affects the genitourinary system, the following symptoms may occur:
- glassy or purulent discharge with an unpleasant odor from the urethra;
- the appearance of pus and blood in the urine;
- discomfort and burning when urinating, during sexual intercourse;
- aching pain in the abdomen, lower back and perineum;
- increased body temperature;
- weakness;
- headache.
A feature of this infectious disease is that it manifests itself more vividly and quickly in men than in women.
When the disease spreads to other important human organs, signs of pneumonia, bronchitis, arthritis, conjunctivitis, etc. may be observed. This refers to serious complications of the disease.
Old chlamydia may be associated with the development of various inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system, progression of adhesions, sexual dysfunction and infertility. Complications can affect not only the urogenital tract, but also many other important organs and systems.
Detection of infection
Diagnosis of chronic chlamydia is carried out using laboratory research methods. For this purpose, biological material is taken from the mucous membranes of internal organs; it is necessary to collect the patient’s urine, blood, and semen to analyze for the presence of chlamydial infection.
Accurate determination of chlamydia in the human body is performed using several modern diagnostic techniques, namely:
- a cultural method based on growing infected cells in special media;
- RIF, as a result of which chlamydia cells saturated with a special solution are illuminated in the dark;
- cytological method, which is based on microscopic examination of infected cells;
- ELISA - examination of venous blood to detect typical antibodies;
- PCR performed on the basis of epithelial scraping to determine sections of microbial DNA.
The main high-precision research methods are cultural analysis, PCR, and ELISA. The cultural method, identifying the sensitivity of chlamydia to antibiotics, allows you to select drugs for effective treatment of infection.
Other studies serve as additional confirmation of the diagnosis and are not very accurate.
Treatment options
The main feature of the treatment of chronic chlamydia in men and women is not the chosen drug, but a well-constructed treatment regimen. As evidenced by reviews from practicing doctors, the effectiveness of the therapy used can be reduced significantly if the correctly chosen drug, to which the maximum sensitivity of the virus strain has been identified, is taken by the patient in small doses.
The duration of the course of treatment for chlamydia, which is more than easy to become infected, should not exceed fourteen days. After two weeks from the start of taking antibiotics, bacteria lose their primary sensitivity to the drug and become covered with a characteristic protective coating that protects microorganisms from the negative effects of the drug.
Accordingly, the process of treating chlamydia is based on strict adherence to several basic rules, including:
- Using different medications or combining medications. As a rule, this approach is chosen exclusively when identifying a chronic form of chlamydia. The change of drugs occurs over not one, but several courses. This rule allows us to exclude viral resistance.
- In order to completely cure an infectious disease, significant doses of the drug are required, regardless of which drug is used.
- Treatment is recommended only during the acute stage of chlamydia. As a rule, in the remission stage, the sensitivity of bacteria to antibiotics is significantly reduced, that is, their use is not effective.
- A favorable outcome of treatment is possible only if the patient strictly adheres to the schedule of taking medications prescribed by the attending physician.
Thus, the process of treating chlamydia in chronic form is not only long, but also very complex. Do not forget that after the course of treatment you should make sure that there are no living bacteria left in the blood. The remaining virus will provoke a relapse of the disease, which will be much more difficult to get rid of.
A long course of chlamydia, often in the absence of adequate treatment, which is due to difficulties in the diagnostic process, can lead to a severe decrease in the body’s immune forces.
In this case, the disease will not only take a long time to cure, but to completely eliminate the pathogenic microflora, it will be necessary to take immunomodulatory medications that increase the body's resistance.
Antibacterial therapy causes toxic effects on many important organs.
Auxiliary treatments include hepatoprotectors and probiotics that support the liver and stomach in a healthy state. Enzyme therapy, based on plant and animal enzymes, is designed to increase the concentration of the required drugs at the site of infection.
The chronic form of chlamydia most often requires multiple courses of treatment. After completing each of them, laboratory tests are carried out for the presence of chlamydia. During the entire period of treatment, any sexual contact should be strictly prohibited.
Conclusion
Chronic chlamydia is a difficult-to-treat sexually transmitted disease. To get rid of it and prevent dangerous complications, you should seek help from a qualified specialist and strictly follow all his recommendations.
2013-12-20T09:10:25+04:00
Chronic chlamydia in men and women
LLC FeronUrogenital chlamydial infection is currently one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. There is a persistent upward trend in the incidence of chlamydia worldwide, especially among young people. Among the main reasons for the increase in incidence are early onset of sexual activity, frequent changes of sexual partners, and neglect of barrier protection (use of condoms). The cause of chlamydia is the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which is one of the representatives of a large group of similar pathogens. Its peculiarity, unlike other representatives of this group, is the selective damage to the mucous membrane of the urethra and genital appendages.
Clinical manifestations of chlamydia
In approximately 70-80% of cases in the early stages of infection, the infection is asymptomatic, i.e. the person does not have any symptoms of the disease. Only a small number of patients may experience fresh phenomena. However, unlike many other sexually transmitted infections, the picture of urethritis does not have any specific features, and the symptoms themselves are mild or of an erased nature. Men may experience extremely scanty discharge from the urethra in the morning in the form of a small amount of glassy mucus. Women usually have no discharge. This is due to minimal inflammatory response in response to infection. And in women it is also associated with the anatomical features of the structure of the urinary canal. Subjectively, patients may be bothered by slight itching in the urethra, both during and outside of urination. Sometimes there is slight redness and swelling of the urethral sponges. Most patients come to the doctor when the process becomes more pronounced, but this, as a rule, already indicates the development of complications of the infection and the chronic course of the process.
Signs of chronic chlamydia
Chronic chlamydia is characterized by a long course of the infectious process (more than 2 months). In this case, the formation of elementary bodies occurs, which stop at a certain stage of development, do not divide and do not turn into reticular bodies. Cultural examination reveals so-called chlamydia-like structures. Many patients have an asymptomatic course of chronic chlamydia. Such patients serve as a reservoir for chlamydial infection, since they consider themselves healthy and do not receive the necessary treatment. Clinical manifestations may worsen after exposure to provoking factors. Chronic chlamydia often leads to the formation of a pronounced adhesive process in the pelvis and becomes the cause of female and male infertility.
Complications of the disease
Among the consequences of chlamydia trachomatis in men, prostatitis, vesiculitis and epipedymitis should be highlighted first. In turn, these complications are the cause of the most dangerous complication - reproductive dysfunction in the form of secondary infertility. All of the above complications in most cases are accompanied by the occurrence of sexual disorders in the form of decreased potency, accelerated ejaculation and other signs. Complications of chlamydia in women can develop both in the lower part of the urogenital tract and in the pelvic organs: endocervicitis, paraurethritis, bartalinitis, colpitis occur. With an ascending infection, salpingitis and salpingoophoritis can be diagnosed. In some cases, very severe complications may occur in the form of peritonitis and perihepatitis. reproductive function disorders may also occur in the form of secondary infertility, and sexual disorders in the form of decreased libido, pain during sexual intercourse, menstrual irregularities, etc. In turn, this often leads to the development of neuroses and mental conditions. Often a “vicious” circle can form when excessive focus on the infection and associated complications, even after complete recovery, leaves a mark in the form of vegetative and general neurasthenic reactions, which are accompanied by increased fatigue, sweating, low-grade fever, and sexual discomfort. Among the most serious complications of urogenital chlamydia, Reiter's syndrome should also be highlighted. The disease is characterized by combined damage to the genitourinary organs (urethroprostatitis, balanitis), eyes (conjunctivitis), joints such as asymmetric reactive arthritis and skin (rashes resembling psoriasis and keratoderma of the palms and soles). Extragenital complications such as ophthalmochlamydia, lesions of the nasopharynx (pharyngitis) and rectum (proctitis) can also form.
Treatment of chlamydia
The currently existing therapeutic options make it possible, in most cases, to completely sanitize the body from Chlamydia trachomatis and achieve clinical cure of complications. However, this is not always an easy task. Modern treatment of urogenital chlamydia is based on combined approaches combining antibiotics, immune drugs and enzymes. If the cervix and genital appendages are involved in the infectious process, physiotherapy is additionally prescribed. Among antibiotics, most preference is given to drugs from the group of macrolides and fluoroquinolones. There is minimal resistance to them by Chlamydia trachomatis, which is extremely high to antibiotics of other groups. The duration of antibiotic therapy depends on the activity and duration of the disease and can range from 10 to 21 days. However, etiotropic treatment in the form of monotherapy can only be indicated for fresh, uncomplicated chlamydial urethritis, which is extremely rare.
Difficulties in therapy
In general, Chlamydia trachomatis is an immune-non-aggressive infection, which ensures its “evasion” from the body’s natural defense factors, and is manifested by the lack of an adequate immune response in the form of severe inflammation. Moreover, in some cases, Chlamydia trachomatis can transform into the so-called L-forms and acquire a chronic persistent course. These forms are not sensitive to antibiotics. Thus, for effective treatment of urogenital chlamydia, agents are needed that increase the activity of immune responses to infection and enhance the effect of antibiotic therapy. The immune response to Chlamydia trachomatis can be increased by activating the mononuclear-phagocytic system, which provides the antigen presenting function, i.e. signals the immune system about the presence of a foreign agent in the body.
In the complex therapy of urogenital chlamydia, a drug that activates the mononuclear-phagocytic system without excessive production of antigens, which eliminates the development of reactive conditions, including Reiter's syndrome and autoimmune diseases, may be recommended. The therapeutic effect of the drug Viferon is due not only to the action of the recombinant interferon included in it, but to the entire complex of its components that complement each other. The interaction of the components of the drug allows you to reduce course doses and duration of antibiotic therapy.
Dermatovenerologist, allergist-immunologist, MD, professor A.A. Haldin.
Chronic chlamydia is an advanced form of chlamydial infection that develops in the human body for more than 2 months from the moment of infection. It is necessary to consider in detail the reasons that contribute to the transition of this infection into a chronic form, its characteristic symptoms, dangerous consequences and methods of treatment.
The concept of chronic chlamydia
The chronic form of chamidiasis is a sexually transmitted disease characterized by a long course, the absence of obvious manifestations, and the occurrence of frequent complications.
This infectious disease is often disguised as chronic inflammatory diseases such as cystitis, prostatitis, urethritis, etc.
The causative agents of the infection are pathogenic microorganisms - chlamydia. Bacteria of this class are capable of infecting the human genitourinary, respiratory, cardiovascular systems, and organs of vision, causing dangerous consequences.
Chlamydia infection spreads easily:
- horizontally - during unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral, anal);
- vertically - from mother to child during labor.
Outside the human body, chlamydia quickly dies, so it is almost impossible to become infected with this infection through household contact.
Can range from 2 weeks to several months. If the infection is not detected at this time and treatment is not started, it becomes chronic.
Causes and mechanism of development
Frequent causes of the formation of chronic chlamydia should be considered:
![](https://i2.wp.com/venerologia03.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/ZHiznennyj-tsikl-hlamidij-300x202.jpg)
Advanced chlamydia is caused by the mechanism of development of pathogenic microbes adapted to the new conditions of their existence.
When chlamydia enters the human body, it is attacked by cells of the immune system. With good immunity, the body's defenses are very strong. In response to this, the microbe goes into its special latent form, stops the development cycle and subsides. But a person with a latent form of infection is no less dangerous for others; he continues to infect his sexual partners without knowing it.
When favorable conditions arise, chlamydia becomes active and begins to appear with renewed vigor. They spread to the cells of the mucous membranes, where they rapidly multiply. Due to the ability of the causative agent to camouflage itself well and the ability to adapt to new conditions, the infection is difficult to detect and treat.
The main factor contributing to the development of chlamydia is a weakening of the immune system due to any diseases, hypothermia, prolonged stress, etc. The causative agents of other sexually transmitted diseases that enter the body as a result of promiscuity can accelerate the development cycle of the disease.
Symptoms of chronic chlamydia
Now you can figure out how chronic chlamydia manifests itself. The disease is characterized by mild symptoms and a somewhat blurred clinical picture. A feature of the chronic form of the disease is the alternation of periods of exacerbation and quiescence.
Chronic chlamydia in the remission stage is asymptomatic. During the period of exacerbation, when the infection affects the genitourinary system, the following symptoms may occur:
![](https://i0.wp.com/venerologia03.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Osnovnye-simptomy-hronicheskogo-hlamidioza-300x245.jpg)
A feature of this infectious disease is that it manifests itself more vividly and quickly in men than in women.
When the disease spreads to other important human organs, signs of pneumonia, bronchitis, arthritis, conjunctivitis, etc. may be observed. This refers to serious complications of the disease. Long-standing chlamydia may be associated with the development of various inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system, progression of adhesions, impaired sexual function, etc. Complications can affect not only the urogenital tract, but also many other important organs and systems.
Detection of infection
Diagnosis of chronic chlamydia is carried out using laboratory research methods. For this purpose, biological material is taken from the mucous membranes of internal organs; it is necessary to collect the patient’s urine, blood, and semen to analyze for the presence of chlamydial infection.
Accurate determination of chlamydia in the human body is performed using several modern diagnostic techniques, namely:
- a cultural method based on growing infected cells in special media;
- RIF, as a result of which chlamydia cells saturated with a special solution are illuminated in the dark;
- cytological method, which is based on microscopic examination of infected cells;
- ELISA - examination of venous blood to detect typical antibodies;
- , performed on the basis of epithelial scraping to determine sections of microbial DNA.
The main high-precision research methods are cultural analysis, PCR, and ELISA. The cultural method, identifying the sensitivity of chlamydia to antibiotics, allows you to select drugs for effective treatment of infection. Other studies serve as additional confirmation of the diagnosis and are not very accurate.
Treatment options
Treatment of chronic chlamydia should pursue the following goals:
- destruction of infectious agents (chlamydia);
- eliminating symptoms of infection;
- increasing the patient's immune status.
Antibacterial drugs play a leading role in the destruction of chlamydia. Effective treatment of this infectious disease is based on the use of an integrated approach with the prescription of 2 or more antibacterial drugs. The choice of drugs is based on the results of laboratory studies to determine the resistance of the microbe.
For each patient it is determined individually and depends on the severity of the disease and concomitant pathologies. It includes the use of:
- antibiotics;
- immunomodulators;
- vitamin complexes;
- antifungal agents;
- enzyme therapy;
- hepatoprotectors;
- probiotics.
The antibiotic Azithromycin (and its analogues) has shown itself to work well in the fight against chlamydia. The drug easily penetrates into the affected cells and has a negative effect on the pathogenic microorganism. The drug itself, the required dosage and duration of administration should be determined only by a specialist. If treatment is incorrectly prescribed, the patient's condition worsens sharply.
Immunomodulators (Interferon, Eleutherococcus tincture) are required to increase the body's defenses and prevent re-infection. Prescribed vitamin complexes enhance their effect.
Often, people suffering from a chronic form of chlamydia may develop concomitant fungal diseases. To destroy them, antifungal agents (Fluconazole) are prescribed.
Antibacterial therapy causes toxic effects on many important organs. Auxiliary treatments include hepatoprotectors and probiotics that support the liver and stomach in a healthy state. Enzyme therapy, based on plant and animal enzymes, is designed to increase the concentration of the required drugs at the site of infection.
The chronic form of chlamydia most often requires multiple courses of treatment. After completing each of them, laboratory tests are carried out for the presence of chlamydia. During the entire period of treatment, any sexual contact should be strictly prohibited.
Conclusion on the topic
Chronic chlamydia is a difficult-to-treat sexually transmitted disease. To get rid of it and prevent dangerous complications, you should seek help from a qualified specialist and strictly follow all his recommendations.