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Chlamydia
Make it clearer
Chlamydia is an infection spread through sex, and it is caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis. In the United States it is the most frequently reported bacterial infection.
That bacterium is obligate intracellular, which means it cannot multiply on its own: it has to be inside the host's cells, that is, inside the infected person's cells, in order to reproduce. It is a tenant that can only reproduce inside someone else's house. In women, the site most commonly infected is the cervix, the lower part of the uterus.
The most important thing about chlamydia is that it often gives no warning: it may cause no symptoms at all, so a person can have it without knowing and pass it on all the same.
In brief
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, and it is the most frequently reported bacterial infection in the United States.
Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular bacterium: it multiplies inside the host's cells, and in women the most commonly infected site is the cervix.
It is a tenant that can only reproduce inside someone else's house.
It often causes no symptoms, so a person can have it without knowing and pass it on all the same.
Sources (2)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingChlamydia trachomatis Infection, StatPearlsPublished
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of MedicineChlamydia Infections, MedlinePlusPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated