Chlamydia is a common sexually-transmitted illness. It can be found in 5-20% of asymptomatic women, depending on their sexual history. In the majority of cases, it causes no problems, but in some patients, it causes:
- PID (pelvic inflammatory disease)
- Infertility
- Cervicitis
Whenever chlamydia is suggested on a Pap smear, consider one of the following approaches:
- Assume chlamydia is present, treat with Doxycycline (or erythromycin or Azithromycin), and then perform a chlamydia culture to insure it has been eradicated, or
- Bring the patient in for a chlamydia culture. If positive, treat with Doxycycline (or erythromycin or Azithromycin). If negative, ignore.