Can You Get Chlamydia Not Sexually?

Chlamydia is a common STD or sexually transmitted infection mediated by bacteria named chlamydia trachomatis. Both men and women are affected by this infection. It possesses serious potentials to damage the female reproductive organs and can cause infertility. One can get this infection from an infected person through unprotected sex via vagina, anus or mouth. Unprotected sex is the prime and easy mode of transmission of chlamydia.

The simple answer to this question is yes, though unprotected sex is the primary reason, but yet there are ways to get infected with Chlamydia without sexual activity. Chlamydia bacteria need a special environment to survive, grow and multiply. The uterus, urethra, fallopian tube, cornea of the eye provide that environment to this bacteria to survive. This is the reason why the bacteria die outside the body. Having unprotected sex with the infected person easily transmits the organism.

One can catch chlamydia if they practice unprotected sex through vagina, anus or mouth. If the infected sex partner is male, other can catch the infection even if ejaculation is not done. Young people who are more sexually active possess the highest risk of catching the infection. Sharing of sex toys can also expose you to the bacteria and the best way to prevent this to clean them or cover them with a condom before use.

Pregnancy is the leading cause of transmission of chlamydia infection other than sexual activities. A pregnant mother can pass the infection to the newly born infant during childbirth. If chlamydia is not diagnosed properly during pregnancy, it can result in preterm delivery. Untreated chlamydia during pregnancy can expose the newborn baby to the infection. The newborn infant can develop the infection of the cornea, which is commonly known as conjunctivitis and chlamydial pneumonia soon after delivery from the infected mother.

The bacteria cannot be transmitted just by the use of public toilet seats, bath towels, bed linens, sharing a bath or use of public swimming pool due to the incapability of the organism to survive outside the body. One may or may not get the Chlamydia infection without having sex as illustrated in the following points-

Body Fluids: If a droplet of body fluid containing chlamydia is left over bath towel, toilet seat or bed linen, one might catch the infection only when one comes in direct contact with it not after too long (did not dry out). Even after your skin and buttocks are touched by the bath towel, it is not capable to cause infection. Until and unless, it comes in contact with the tissue of the body such as cervix of uterus, urethra or cornea of the eye, it is not viable to infect you.

Genitals: Coming in contact with genitals or fluids of genitals of an infected person or rubbing genitals over genitals of infected person without indulging in sexual activity, the chlamydial infection can pass on to the non-infected person.

Sex Toys- Use of infected sex toys without proper cleaning or protection by a condom can also trigger infection without sex.

Swimming Pools: When one uses public swimming pools or hot pools, chlamydia infection cannot happen. The main reason behind the safety of swimming pools and hot pools against chlamydial infection is the highly chlorinated water used in these pools. Pool water contains chlorine in most tubes, and the organism cannot survive in chlorinated water.

Pap Smears: Pap smears used for collection of the organism for laboratory tests cannot cause infection as a new collection spatula is used each time for every new patient.

Kissing: Kissing or hugging infected person will not cause chlamydia for the obvious reason of non-survival of the organism outside the tissues discussed above.

Conclusion

Chlamydia is a common STD or sexually transmitted infection mediated by bacteria named chlamydia trachomatis. Both men and women are affected by this infection. It possesses serious potentials to damage the reproductive organs and can cause infertility. One can get this infection from an infected person through unprotected sex via vagina, anus or mouth. Unprotected sex is the prime and easy mode of transmission of chlamydia, although there are some other rare ways to get this infection.

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Can You Get Chlamydia Not Sexually?