Medications
Antibiotic treatment, when taken exactly
as directed, normally cures
chlamydia infections. If antibiotics are not taken
properly, the infection will not be cured. Prompt treatment prevents the spread
of the infection and reduces the risk of complications, such as
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Avoid
sexual contact or use condoms until you and your partner have finished the full
course of medicine.
Medication Choices
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Antibiotics
What To Think About
Call your doctor if symptoms
continue or new symptoms develop 3 to 4 weeks after treatment. To prevent
reinfection, your sex partners need to be tested and treated.
Treatment in a hospital with
intravenous (IV) medicines may be needed for women who
have
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and men who have
epididymitis. In many cases, these conditions can be
treated outside of the hospital with oral antibiotics and close follow-up by
your doctor.
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.