Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis virus. Chlamydia, often causes what is called non-specific urethritis, namely non-specific inflammation of the urinary tract, which is known to be an infection / disease, resulting from sexual intercourse that occurs in men. While in women, chlamydia more often causes cervicitis, which is an infection of the cervix, and pelvic inflammatory disease (hips / pelvis), even causing infertility. (Bruner & Suddert, 2001).
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in humans caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. The term chlamydial infection can also refer to infections caused by any type of bacteria from the Chlamydiaceae family. C. trachomatis is only found in humans. Can damage human reproductive organs and eye disease.
Chlamydia trachomatis which mainly affects the cervix. Usually attacks the urinary tract or reproductive organs. In women, it causes an infection in the cervix, while in men, it causes an infection in the urethra (the inside of the penis). As many as 75 percent of sufferers, do not get symptoms of this disease. Even if symptoms appear, in women, only in the form of vaginal discharge. This sexually transmitted disease (STD), can be transmitted or transmitted by partners. Incubation period: 7 to 12 days. (Bruner & Sudert 2001)
Chlamydia is spread by having unprotected sex with someone who has been infected.
Signs and symptoms in women:
- The urge to urinate frequently and when you urinate you will feel a burning or uncomfortable feeling.
- Complaints of vaginal discharge accompanied by pain when urinating and the presence of mucopurulent and bleeding after sexual intercourse
- Transmission goes unnoticed, because most infected women have no symptoms
- Patients usually come with an advanced stage
- Pain after sexual intercourse.
Signs and symptoms in men:
- The urge to urinate frequently and when you urinate you will feel a burning or uncomfortable feeling.
- Fluid in the urethra in the form of clear to cloudy mucus, there are spots on the underwear, especially in the morning
- Swollen pelvis due to epididymitis
Prevention :
- Health education and sex education: the same as syphilis with an emphasis on the use of condoms when having sexual relations with women who are not their partners.
- Examination of sexually active adolescent girls should be carried out regularly. Examinations should also be carried out on adult women under the age of 25 years, on those who have a new partner or on those who have several sexual partners and or who do not consistently use contraceptives. Newer tests for trachomatis infection can be used to examine adolescents and young adult men with urine specimens.
Nursing Diagnosis for Chlamydia
- Acute pain related to burning, smelling or itching due to infection.
- Anxiety related to the duration of healing the disease, the symptoms that appear.
- Sexual dysfunction related to limitations made possible by symptoms (fatigue, decreased libido, depression) a sense of rejection by a partner.
- Low self-esteem related to feelings of shame due to illness, individual coping is ineffective
- Risk for infection related to the transmission of the disease exposed.
- Knowledge deficit related to the disease process.
