Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Debra Houry, MD, MPH

Debra Houry, MD, MPH

Debra Houry, MD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and in the Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education at the Rollins School of Public Health. She is currently the Director for the Center for Injury Control, Rollins School of Public Health and teaches several courses on violence and injury prevention at Emory.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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When to Seek Medical Care

Call your doctor if you experience any of the following:

• Fever

• Abdominal pain

• Discharge from the penis or vagina

• Pain with urination

• Pain during intercourse

• Frequent urination

• Sexual contact with an infected person. Most often, a sexual partner is informed about a chlamydial infection, and this is the first indication of the presence of the disease. All partners of an infected person should be treated to prevent the spread of the infection back and forth.

When to go to the hospital

Chlamydial infections can develop into serious medical conditions if not treated.

• Women: Pelvic inflammatory disease is a serious medical condition, which occurs in 10% to 15% of untreated cases and can lead to sterility. Fever, abdominal pain, and vaginal discharge can be symptoms of this disease. Women with these symptoms need to go to a hospital's emergency department immediately for treatment.

• Men: Fever, discharge from the penis, and painful urination may signal an infection, which may involve inflammation of the testicles. Men with these symptoms need to go to a hospital's emergency department immediately for treatment.