The sad thing about Chlamydia is that despite its prevalence and its fiendish, sneaky behaviour, it is incredibly easy to treat. If caught within good time, it can be cured by a few doses of antibiotics and sufferers can be treated and even sexually active again in only two weeks. Unfortunately, Chlamydia is, like the rest of life on earth, remarkably well adapted to its role. Chlamydia might be easy to treat, but it compensates for this fact be being very difficult to detect. Although it harbours the potential to wreak havoc on the sex organs of both males and females through infection and scarring that can lead to infertility, it often presents no identifiable symptoms that are usually associated with sexually transmitted infections and diseases. It can also inhabit the mouth and eyes through oral contact, where the infection can cause scarring, pain and discharge.

However, it is the lack of symptoms that make Chlamydia so potent. Because it lacks tell-tale signs, and any that do manifest can take as long as 3 weeks before they appear, infected individuals can remain unaware for long periods of time and remain sexually active during this period, spreading the infection further. Since this can apply to everyone who is infected, each subsequent sexual partner can potentially infect another host of individuals. Sexually transmitted infections while a serious issue and usually taken seriously, are not at the forefront of day to day life – if you have no symptoms and no inkling that you might be infected, you are unlikely to spontaneously decide to take a Chlamydia test. It is often thought that the spread of the disease can be hindered through safe sex advice and similar. However, since the infection can be transmitted even via oral sex, even the universal adoption of safe sex may not entirely eradicate the problem. Safe sex is not traditionally associated with oral sexual contact – indeed, even some abstinence programs advocate oral sex as an alternative to full sexual intercourse. Given the cultural proliferation of oral sex, Chlamydia would continue to find a way.

Ultimately, although there is a clear logic in preventing the disease in the first place, it is important that treatment is easily and readily available for those unlucky enough to contract it. Free Chlamydia test kits are available online and from GPs, and regular sexual health checks are encouraged if you are sexually active. Better safe than sorry!