In an effort to practice safer sex and prevent STDs, you may be asking yourself a serious question: Can you get chlamydia from kissing? Chlamydia, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STDs), is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
If you’re reading this and think you may have chlamydia, it’s understandable to be concerned. The good news is that chlamydia is a treatable and curable STD. If you suspect that you or your partner may have contracted chlamydia, both parties should be tested and treated. This not only prevents the bacteria from spreading or re-infecting either of you, but it also helps prevent serious complications.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website calls chlamydia a “silent infection” because many people with this infection experience few or no symptoms. The period between exposure and symptoms (if they become apparent) can take several weeks.
What are Chlamydia Symptoms?
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) lists the following symptoms:
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Painful, burning sensation during urination (both men and women)
- Spotting between periods
- Discomfort during sex
- Nausea
- An abnormal discharge from the penis (thick, yellowish-white, milky, or watery)
- Pain in the lower back or abdomen
- Fever
Both men and women who have rectal sex (or an infection that spreads from the vagina) may experience these symptoms:
- Rectal discomfort
- Rectal bleeding or discharge
How can the risk of chlamydia be avoided?
The only way to completely avoid the risk of chlamydia is to abstain from all sex (vaginal, oral or anal). You can reduce your risks by being in a “long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has tested negative for STDs, including chlamydia” and using latex condoms correctly every time you have sex, as explained by HHS.
How to stay proactive in sexual behavior
Although kissing cannot give you chlamydia, having unprotected oral sex with a person with the STD can carry the possibility of transmission. However, the use of protective equipment such as dental dams and condoms can reduce this risk. Contrary to popular belief, anyone (regardless of gender) can get chlamydia.
How do you get chlamydia?
If you ask this question, you may be comparing chlamydia to other common STDs, such as herpes. Although both can exhibit similar symptoms, kissing cannot give you chlamydia, as could be the case with the herpes virus. Chlamydia is also not acquired by sharing drinks, towels, handshakes or other casual contact.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Chlamydia is acquired through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected person.
Dangers of Chlamydia during pregnancy
A chlamydia infection can cause premature labor. A pregnant mother can also pass the bacteria to her baby during vaginal delivery. The baby may develop an eye infection and pneumonia. Chlamydia testing should be performed on pregnant mothers at their first prenatal visit and again at 37 weeks (before delivery) to protect mother and child. Pregnant mothers receiving treatment for chlamydia should be tested again three weeks and three months after antibiotic treatment.
What does testing for chlamydia entail?
There are several types of tests available for chlamydia. The initial diagnosis is made via a smear or a simple urine test.
How is it treated?
Like many other types of bacterial infections, chlamydia can be treated and cured with the use of antibiotics prescribed by a doctor for a treatment outlined by the CDC.
How long should I wait before having sex during and after antibiotic treatment?
If a single dose of antibiotics is prescribed as treatment, the HHS recommends waiting seven days after taking the antibiotic before having sex. If antibiotic treatment includes seven days of prescribed medication, the HHS recommends abstaining from sex until all prescribed antibiotics have been taken before having sex. This ensures that the infection does not recur and that no one else is exposed to the bacteria. You should avoid sexual activity with an infected partner(s) while they are undergoing treatment.
To ensure the best results, treatment for chlamydia should involve both sexual partners.
Although chlamydia is easy to treat, you can become infected with the STD multiple times. It is therefore important to remain actively aware of the sexual health of you and your partner(s).
What happens with untreated Chlamydia?
According to the HHS, if chlamydia is left untreated, women are at risk for the infection to progress to pelvic inflammatory disease, fallopian tube blockages resulting in infertility, and ectopic pregnancies due to scar tissue.
Untreated chlamydia in men can cause pain and swelling of the testicles, with associated fever. Although it is a rare outcome, chlamydia can cause infertility in men.
Untreated chlamydia in both men and women can also increase the chance of contracting and spreading HIV.
Get tested and treated for signs of chlamydia, because there is a cure available.
Although you can’t get chlamydia from kissing, chlamydia is a common STD that poses health risks to men, women and newborns. Overall, it’s important to stay proactive and get tested if you suspect you or a partner has an STD. This not only protects you against any long-term effects, but also benefits your partner(s). If you are tested and the result is positive, there is no need to worry; the infection can be easily treated and cured.
Here at Priority STD Testing we ensure that we provide all our patients with a discreet, effective way to get tested and stay healthy. Contact us today for personalized support and to make an appointment at one of our nationwide testing centers.