Dormant chlamydia can cause permanent damage to the reproductive system without symptoms. Regular testing is the only way to detect it, as symptoms may not appear. Testing involves a swab of the affected area. If positive, further tests may be needed to check for damage.
The only reliable way to know if you have dormant chlamydia is to get tested. This sexually transmitted disease (STD) will not have any symptoms for most people who get it. Even when cases are symptomatic, many people do not recognize the initial infection and the disease can revert to a dormant state. Lack of symptoms is a real danger of the disease. Permanent damage to the reproductive system can be caused before the condition is recognised.
If chlamydia symptoms occur, women may notice unusual vaginal discharge or urination may be accompanied by a burning sensation. Sometimes fever, pain during intercourse, or abnormal bleeding occurs. Other symptoms in women could be low fever or back pain. In men, the opening of the penis may be red or sore, there may be a small amount of discharge, and the testicles may be painful.
With dormant chlamydia, these signs are likely to be absent. Ignoring the infection poses particular risks for women. Complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, fallopian tube scarring, increased risk of ectopic pregnancy, and decreased fertility can occur. Dormant chlamydia in men can cause significant pain and infection, and a small percentage of men are permanently infertile due to STDs.
Because it’s impossible to self-diagnose dormant chlamydia, the best way to detect it is to test for it regularly. The test is often conducted once a year. It may be recommended more frequently if people have sex with a partner without using a condom. Finding out that a sexual partner has chlamydia is also a reason to continue testing, even if condoms were used.
Basic testing for chlamydia in women and men requires a swab of the area where the bacteria may reside. This could be inside the vagina, around the tip of the penis, near the anus, or inside the throat. Getting a swab to test is likely to take no more than a few seconds for most patients.
People who are being tested for dormant chlamydia should consider themselves infected until they hear otherwise, particularly if there is a reasonable chance that the test is positive. If STIs are suspected, it makes sense to give up sexual intercourse until the test results are known. If the test is positive, women and men could undergo further tests to determine if the disease has caused damage to reproductive health. When the result is negative, people can protect themselves in the future with safer sex practices and regular testing.
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