Chlamydia is the most common sexually spread bacterial infection among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. You can get it in your penis, vagina or front hole, bum, throat and eye.
Note: Chlamydia can spread from breast feeding mother to her baby. Babies can also get an eye infection (conjunctivitis) or a lung infection (pneumonia) from chlamydia.
You can get chlamydia from vaginal or front hole sex, anal sex, oral sex and rimming bums. Using fingers or hands in the vagina or front hole or bum can also pass on chlamydia.
Most people have no signs or symptoms at all. Even with no signs, chlamydia can be causing damage on the inside, mainly for women.
If you do have signs, they can include:
A doctor can test for chlamydia with a urine (pee) test and swabs of the throat, vagina or front hole and bum.
Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics (drugs that kill certain germs). You should not have sex until 7 days after you have finished your antibiotics, and you should tell your previous sexual partners so they can get tested too. This protects your sexual partner(s) and also prevents you becoming reinfected.
Using condoms and lube reduces the risk of getting or passing on chlamydia, but you can still get it or pass it on even when you use condoms. So getting tested regularly is really important.
We acknowledge and pay respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the traditional custodians of the lands on which we work.
Vaccination can prevent mpox and is available for anyone at high risk of infection. This includes men who have sex with men, sex workers, health workers and anyone who may be in contact with a person infected with mpox. Please contact your nearest ACCHO or Sexual Health clinic for advice. See factsheet for more information.
