Chlamydia

 

Chlamydia Awareness Screening Programme for Hull & East Riding (CASPHER)

Please note: it is routine practice, for all clients attending our clinics, to have a chlamydia screen.

The CASPHER Team, based at Conifer House, are a screening programme set up to 'screen' for chlamydia in the Hull and East Riding area.

If you are between 14-24 years of age and are worried about chlamydia then you can request a FREE postal kit. We will send a test kit through the post to you and you simply send it back in the supplied freepost envelope. Ring us on (01482) 336397 or visit Freetest.me for a kit straight to your door. You should test for chlamydia every time you change your sex partner.

For a list of sites where you can pick up one of our free testing kits just click here.

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What is chlamydia?

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection. It is often known as the silent infection because most of the time it shows no symptoms. Chlamydia is the most common STI in the UK, in fact 1 in 10 under 25's who are tested have a positive result.

Symptoms

Most people don't have any symptoms, and therefore don't know they are infected. However, those who do report symptoms usually report:

  • Discharge
  • Irregular bleeding
  • Pain when passing urine
  • Abdominal pain
  • Painful testicles
  • Pain after sex

Please seek advice from a health professional if you are suffering with any of the above.

How chlamydia is spread

Chlamydia is passed through sexual contact. You DO NOT have to have full sex to catch chlamydia! It can be passed on through foreplay, oral sex, vaginal sex, anal sex and even sex toys.

Preventing chlamydia

Using a condom is always the best way to prevent chlamydia and any other STI. So remember it may be embarrassing using one at the time but it is far more embarrassing to have an STI. We advise putting on a condom before having any sort of sexual contact as chlamydia can live outside the body for up to 3 minutes.

Getting tested & treatment

You can visit Conifer, your local family planning clinic, GP, Pharmacist, screening venues, or request one through the post; Freetest.me (under 25's only) will provide free confidential testing kits straight to your door. To be tested for chlamydia all you have to do is 'wee in a pot' or females can do a self-taken swab. Your result will be sent to you via text message (or your chosen method). If you test positive to chlamydia, treatment is quick and easy. We will arrange for you to see one of our nurses who will give you antibiotics. These are usually 4 tablets which are taken all at once.

Complications of chlamydia if left untreated

Men:

  • Urethral infection
  • Scarring or blockage of the tubes which carry the sperm (causing decreased fertility)
  • Arthritis (Reiter's Syndrome)
  • Conjunctivitis

Women:

  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) this affects 10 to 40 percent of women with chlamydia
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Infertility
  • Conjunctivitis

Pregnant Women:

  • Can lead to premature birth
  • Can be passed on to baby during delivery
  • Around 1/3 of babies born to untreated mothers develop eye or lung infections

More information on chlamydia can be found here.