A CASE
PRESENTATION
CHLAMYDIA
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the
bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It can affect both men and women,
and people of all ages.
Risk Factors
RISK FACTORS • Young age (15-24 years)
• Multiple sex partners
• Inconsistent condom use
• History of STIs
• Low socioeconomic status
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Symptomatic Cases: Men:
Women:
1. Abnormal vaginal discharge 1. Dysuria (painful urination)
2. Urethral discharge (white, yellow, or
2. Dysuria (painful urination)
clear)
3. Frequent urination
3. Frequent urination
4. Lower abdominal pain 4. Burning sensation during urination
5. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) symptoms: 5. Testicular pain or swelling
- Fever (epididymitis)
- Chills 6. Rectal pain or discharge (proctitis)
- Nausea
- Vomiting
6. Cervicitis (inflammation of the cervix)
7. Salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes)
Asymptomatic Cases:
Up to 70% of Chlamydia cases are asymptomatic,
meaning individuals may not exhibit noticeable
symptoms.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Chlamydia trachomatis enters the host cell
Elementary Body Reticulate Body
- Infective Form - Metabolically Active Form
Inclusion Binary Fission
Enclosed in a vacuole - Division of prokaryotic cells
Huge number of reticulate bodies
Transitions back to elementary bodies
Cell bursts and cycle repeats
Chlamydia
- caused by Serotypes D-K
Women
Manifestations
Urethritis
Vulvovaginitis Pelvic Inflammatory
Cervicitis Disease Men
Urethritis
Prostatitis
Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome
(inflammation of peritoneum)
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT)
cell culture to test for chlamydia
Sexual history taking and risk assessment
Clinical examination, speculum examination and
palpation can provide important clues to clinical
diagnosis.
COMPLICATIONS
In women, this can cause a condition called pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID).
PID can cause a number of serious problems, such as:
difficulty getting pregnant or infertility
persistent (chronic) pelvic pain
an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy (where a
fertilised egg implants itself outside the womb)
In men, this can cause:
epididymitis or epididymo-orchitis.
Reactive Arthritis
Conjuctivitis
Perihepatitis
MEDICAL MANAGEMENT
Azithromycin, a single dose of 1 gram
Doxycycline, 100 milligrams twice a day for 7
days
Tetracycline, 500 milligrams four times a day
for 7 days
Erythromycin, 500 milligrams twice a day for 7
days
Ofloxacin, 200-400 milligrams twice a day for
7 days
NURSING INTERVENTIONS
Encourage people to submit screening
Educate the client about chlamydia infections
Encourage client to practice safe sex
Encourage the use of condoms
Encourage client to remain compliant with medications
Check labs for culture results
Administer antibiotics as ordered
Check labs to ensure female is not pregnant as doxycycline
cannot be given in pregnancy
Encourage the client to notify the partner to come in for a
screening test
Encourage client to follow up in the STD clinic
Provide client with emotional support
REFERENCES
Brunner, L. S., & Suddarth, D. S. (2018). Brunner & Suddarth's textbook of
medical-surgical nursing. (14th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
CDC (2022). Chlamydia.
Chlamydia trachomatis (n.d.). Osmosis. Retrieved from
https://www.osmosis.org/learn/Chlamydia_trachomatis
Planned Parenthood (2022). Chlamydia.
Understanding Chlamydia: Diagnosis and treatment. (2023, November 30).
WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/understanding-
chlamydia-treatment
THANK YOU
