Chlamydia Trachomatis
Background
Chlamydia trachomatis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria.
Epidemiology
It is also noted that bacteria cause STIs and is responsible for approximately one million infections in the United States. One of the STIs caused by bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis that interferes with the normal function columnar epithelium. It infects the cervix, rectum, and urethra.
Diagnosis criteria
Sexually active women should go for a screening test more often. The most sensitive test for chlamydia trachomatis used Nucleic acid amplification (NAATs)
Treatment
The infection is majorly treated by the use of antibiotics such as doxycycline and azithromycin. Alternative treatments include erythromycin ethylsuccinate and of ofloxacin.
Symptoms
Chlamydia shows barely any symptoms during the early stages. However, after sometimes, individuals suffer from urinary tract infection. Symptoms such as vaginal discharge and discharge from the penis may occur. In extreme cases, women may experience pain during sex and bleeding after sex in women. For men, testicular pain may be experienced.
Historical significance
Yan et al. (n.d) noted that the chlamydia infection is linked to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, infection in babies, and testicles. Other complications may include prostate gland infection, ectopic pregnancy, and arthritis.
Research Article
Mishori, McClaskey & Winkler (p1127) focuses on Chlamydia Trachomatis Infections screening techniques diagnosis and how the infection can be managed. The article also forwards that Chlamydia Trachomatis can infect non-genital places like eyes and lungs. Mishori, McClaskey & Winkler (p1130) further noted that untreated Chlamydia Trachomatis might cause severe health complications such as infertility, pelvic inflammatory diseases, and ectopic pregnancy in women. According to the article, the most sensitive test for Chlamydia Trachomatis used in the United States is Nucleic acid amplification (NAATs) (Mishori, McClaskey & Winkler, p129). Most health care practitioners prefer NAATs because of their accuracy if the urine sample is taken from the cervix or urethra. It is recommended that individuals carry out point care testing in various health care facilities. Further, NAATs kits are also available in the market for testing. The article articulates that treatment of Chlamydia Trachomatis majorly uses of azithromycin prescribed in 100mg taken twice a day for one week (Chlamydial Infections – 2015 STD Treatment Guidelines, n.d). Further, it is recommended that those infected should undertake dual therapy to prevent further infections. There are alternative treatment methods highlighted, such as erythromycin ethylsuccinate prescribed in 800 mg taken four times a day for one week and 300 mg of ofloxacin taken twice a day for one week.
Mishori, McClaskey & Winkler address the screening methods for Chlamydia Trachomatis. The paper provides an insight screening recommendations put forward by the United States Preventive Service Task Force. According to the task force, it is recommended that women at the age of 24 years who are sexually active should be screened since they are at higher risk of getting infected (Mishori, McClaskey & Winkler, p129). Women at a young age tend to have many intimate partners, which raises their prevalence of the infections. The task force further recommended that all pregnant women should be screened. Pregnant women are at high risk of intrauterine and postnatal complications that increase their chances of being infected by chlamydia trachomatis. The task force forwarded that the consequences of chlamydia trachomatis infection in women are substantial and may be fatal. First, infected women have a high prevalence of pelvic inflammatory illness. This may further lead to many health complications, especially during and after sex for women. The pelvic inflammatory disease may interfere with the women’s reproductive organs if not treated early. Besides, women who have chlamydia trachomatis, have a high risk of infertility (O’Connell, Catherine & Morgan, 400). The infections may interfere with women’s reproductive organs and hormonal balance, thus making them infertile. Finally, the article forwards that women infected with Chlamydia Trachomatis may develop Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome that involves complications in the liver. Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome results in inflammation of the liver capsule that and if not treated at the early stage, it may lead to the creation of adhesions.
Results
Based on the analysis of Mishori, McClaskey & Winkler’s paper, there are various ways of preventing Chlamydia Trachomatis. First, people are advised to stop high-risk behaviors that involve having with many people. Sex active individuals should have a monogamous relationship and be faithful to one another. Also, the only sure way of preventing chlamydia trachomatis infection is to abstain from sex (Keegan et al., n.d). However, in the case of married couples, there should be the use of condoms to avoid unprotected sex. The sexually active adolescents are noted to be at high risk of sexually transmitted infections, and the only sure way is to abstain from sex.
Proposed Research
From the article, the rate of chlamydia trachomatis infections in adolescents and women is not clear. Research can be conducted to get the difference between adolescent’s infection and women infection. This will help recommend proper, appropriate, and convenient screening method for each group. Various research methods can be used to conduct the study. First, the research can rely on figures provided by the United States Preventive Service Task Force. The data can be analyzed through SPSS data analysis software to retrieve the rates of infections. Secondly, a survey study can be conducted within two sample groups. One sample can consist of women age 24 to 30 while the other sample consists of girls at the adolescent stage, especially the teenagers. The questions should be designed to inquire how many sex partners each person has and how often do they engage in unprotected sexual activities. They should be asked how many times have they undergone screening for Chlamydia Trachomatis and what the results were. Given the personal nature of such questions, the respondents can be treated to be anonymous. This implies that the responses can be received only through unmarked questionnaires. The data received can be analyzed and compared to get the difference in the Chlamydia Trachomatis infection rate between women and adolescents.
Principle of Complementarity
Chlamydia trachomatis infection prevention is behavioral. Avoiding high-risk behaviors, such as having multiple sex partners. Sex active individuals should have a monogamous relationship and be faithful to one another. Also, the only sure way of preventing chlamydia trachomatis infection is to abstain from sex. It is associated with other reproduction complications in women, such as infertility, Pelvic inflammatory disease, and Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome.
Works Cited
“Chlamydial Infections – 2015 STD Treatment Guidelines”. Cdc.Gov, 2020, https://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/chlamydia.htm. Accessed 19 Apr 2020 (Links to an external site.).
Keegan, Mary B., Justin T. Diedrich, and Jeffrey F. Peipert. “Chlamydia trachomatis infection: screening and management.” Journal of clinical outcomes management: JCOM 21.1 (2014): 30.
Mishori, R., McClaskey, E. L., & WinklerPrins, V. (2012). Chlamydia trachomatis infections: screening, diagnosis, and management. American family physician, 86(12), 1127-1132.
O’Connell, Catherine M., and Morgan E. Ferone. “Chlamydia trachomatis Genital Infections.” Microbial Cell, vol. 3, no. 9, 2016, pp. 390-403.
Yan, Rui-Lin, et al. “Chlamydia trachomatis infection among patients attending sexual and reproductive health clinics: A cross-sectional study in Bao’an District, Shenzhen, China.” PLOS ONE, vol. 14, no. 2, 2019, p. e0212292