Abstract:Abstract Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that can be vertically or sexually transmitted. Sexual abuse should be considered when C. trachomatis infection is di...Abstract Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that can be vertically or sexually transmitted. Sexual abuse should be considered when C. trachomatis infection is diagnosed in children beyond infancy who have vaginal, urethral, or rectal chlamydial infection. Vertical transmission may cause neonatal conjunctivitis characterized by conjunctival injection and eye discharge or pneumonia usually characterized by repetitive cough, tachypnoea, and rales. Sexual transmission has a wide spectrum of disease, with 75% of women and many men being asymptomatic, and the main clinical presentations represented by urethritis, cervicitis, endometritis, salpingitis, and proctitis. Chronic diseases are represented by lymphogranuloma venereum and trachoma. Clinical diagnosis can be confirmed by cell culture and nucleic acid amplification tests. Effective treatment includes macrolide, doxycycline, or a quinolone for 7 days. Testing for the presence of C. trachomatis should be done at least annually in sexually active adolescents and young adults and in pregnant women at high risk of C. trachomatis infection (i.e. women aged under 25 years and those with multiple sexual partners). Prophylaxis of infants born to infected mothers is not usually recommended. In areas that are endemic for trachoma, the World Health Organization implements the SAFE approach: surgery, antibiotics, face washing, and environmental improvement. Future research should focus on maternal chlamydial infection, standardized diagnostic tests, efficacy studies in neonates, and identification of a vaccine.Read More
Publication Year: 2016
Publication Date: 2016-04-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 1
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