Cause
Chlamydia
infection is caused by the bacterium
Chlamydia trachomatis. It is spread during vaginal,
anal, or possibly oral sex with an infected partner. A pregnant woman may
spread the infection to her newborn during delivery.
You can
spread chlamydia even if you do not have symptoms of infection. You can spread
the infection until you have been treated.
Peipert JF (2003). Genital chlamydial infections.
New England Journal of Medicine, 349(25):
2424–2430.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2007). Chlamydia—CDC fact sheet. Available online: http://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/stdfact-chlamydia.htm.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2006).
Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines 2006. MMWR, 55(RR-11): 38–42.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2007). Screening
for chlamydial infection: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation
statement. Annals of Internal Medicine, 147(2):
128–133.