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Chlamydia is most common among men and women aged 15-24. Chlamydia is silent and serious, but easy to test for and easy to treat.

It’s silent - Most people have no symptoms of Chlamydia. Without a test you will not know, and you may pass it onto your sexual partner.

It’s serious - If you or your sexual partner are left untreated it can lead to infertility (not being able to have children) and long term pelvic pain in women.

...and easily spread - Anyone who has unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex or genital contact can get Chlamydia from an infected partner. The people most at risk are those having unprotected sexual intercourse i.e. not using condoms. You don’t need to have had lots of sexual partners to be at risk.

If symptoms do occur - They start 1-3 weeks after becoming infected they may only last for a few days then disappear. Women may experience unusual vaginal discharge, bleeding between periods, pain when passing urine and lower abdominal pain. Men may experience discharge from the penis, burning and itching in the genital area and pain when passing urine.

Always protect yourself...

Each time you have a new sexual partner, both of you should do a Chlamydia test. We recommend doing a Chlamydia test every year while you are under 25.

• You could decide not to have sex, kisses and cuddles do not spread STIs
  
  

• Use condoms every time you have sex. This is the only way you can reduce your risk of getting or passing on Chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV.
  
  

• If you are not sure how to use condoms correctly, there are normally instructions in the packet or contact your local Family Planning or Sexual Health Services for advice.
  
  

• If you have oral sex, cover the penis with a condom or the female genitals with a latex or polyurethane dam.
  
  

• If you do share sex toys, wash them or cover them with a new condom before anyone else uses them.
  
  

If you live in East Berkshire your sample will be tested for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea. More on Gonorrhoea