“Chlamydia,” a sexually transmitted bacterial infection that affects both men and women and is spread during sexual contact, is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) reported to the CDC since 1994. While it is 50 times more common than syphilis and three times more common than gonorrhea, its presence often goes undetected because most people with the infection have no symptoms. When symptoms do emerge, they usually appear five to ten days after contracting the infection. Among women, they include abdominal pain, large quantities of vaginal discharge, bleeding between periods, painful intercourse, and painful urination. In men, there may be penile discharge and testicle swelling. If left untreated, long-term health problems may arise.
P.S. Because chlamydial infection frequently presents no symptoms, chlamydia screening is highly recommended for women under 25 years of age, pregnant women, and high-risk males and females.