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Chlamydia

Chlamydia Overview

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection disease transmitted when people have sexual relations. It is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the United States. Among adults, about 5% of the population is estimated to be infected. Among sexually active adolescent females, about 10% are infected.

Infection with chlamydia is most commonly found among the following groups:

  • Young adults
  • People living in urban areas
  • African Americans
  • Those with lower social and economic status


Next: Chlamydia Causes »

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Chlamydia

Cervicitis Overview

Cervicitis, a common infection of the lower genital tract, is the inflammation of the cervix (this is the neck and outlet of a woman's uterus).

Inflammation may be caused by infection from certain sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or by injury to the cervix from a foreign object inserted in the vagina, from birth control devices such as the cervical cap or a diaphragm, or by cancer.

Many cases of cervicitis go untreated because women who have the infection do not know they do. Often there are no obvious symptoms.

  • If untreated, cervicitis may lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, ectopic pregnancy, chronic pelvic pain, spontaneous abortion, cervical cancer, or other complications during the delivery of a baby.
  • Cervicitis is a very common condition. In fact, more than half of all women may develop cervicitis at some point in their adult lives. Risk factors for the development of cervic...

Read the Cervicitis article »



Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine

Chlamydial Genitourinary Infections »

Chlamydiae are small gram-negative obligate intracellular microorganisms that preferentially infect squamocolumnar epithelial cells.

Read More on eMedicine »

Medical Dictionary