| Chlamydia is now the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease in the United States. In men, symptoms include burning when urinating and a whitish discharge from the tip of the penis. In women, symptoms include slight vaginal discharge and a frequent need to urinate. But symptoms are often so mild they go unnoticed. And if left untreated, chlamydia can cause a variety of serious problems, including infection and inflammation of the prostate and surrounding structures in men, or infertility in women. Since the symptoms of chlamydia aren't always obvious, doctors recommend that sexually active people who are not involved in a long-term, monogamous relationship should be tested periodically. You should be aware, though, that the most reliable test for chlamydia is a tissue culture that is expensive and not widely available. For that reason, many doctors use a simpler slide test instead.
Anyone who has chlamydia should be treated with oral antibiotics such as in tetracycline or erythromycin for two to three weeks. Doctors will treat the infected sexual partner even if he or she don't show any symptoms.
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