Introduction
Chlamydia is a common bacteria infection which is mainly spread through sexual contacts with infected persons. The bacterium that transmits this genital infection is known as Chlamydia trachomatis and when this bacterium is transmitted sexually, it can infect the reproductive and urinary organs. Generally, Chlamydia trachomatis is an “obligate intracellular human pathogen” which is one species in the genus of Chlamydia. Chlamydia is the most common STD with an estimated 50 million cases reported every year world wide and in the US alone 3 million people are infected annually. In most of these cases, the infection is found to occur in adolescents and the young adults between the ages of 15 and 24 (Ghadirian, 2009).
Most of these individuals are found to either have new sexual partners or multiple sexual partners whereby they do not use protection consistently. The people with Chlamydia trachomatis are usually diagnosed with rectum, genital tract, and eye infections. Usually, the incubation period for the Chlamydia trachomatis ranges from one week to five weeks. The symptoms of Chlamydia trachomatis do not show in most people; approximately 50% of men and 75% of women do not show any signs and symptoms of this disease (Sleet, 2001). For this reason, most infected people are not usually aware of these infections therefore they may not get medical attention. All the same, males who show signs of the disease experience itching which is accompanied by burning sensation when urinating.
Discharge from their genital organs which can be in small and or moderate amount is experienced. Females infected by Chlamydia have symptoms which include vaginal discharges and pain when urinating (Grunbaum, 2004). Advanced cases of this infection result to proctitis, urethritis, infertility, and trachoma in both sexes. In men only, cases of epididymitis and prostatitis are pronounced while in women, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervicitis, and ectopic pregnancies are some of the complications they develop.
The humanities field that reflects Chlamydia trachomatis is the music industry because the fun which comes with all the music hype results to people having unprotected sex with new and multiple partners. Across the globe, the more pronounced disease caused by Chlamydia trachoma is “trachoma” which affects the cornea and “inner upper eyelid” causing blindness if not attended to. It is estimated that 90% of people in the developing countries have the trachoma eye disease. It is a fact that control effects have been put in place but half a million people are still at risk of getting infected. World wide, 140 million people are infected with 6 million people in Africa, central Asia, middle east, Latin America and south east Asia found to be blind.
According to Morbidity, CDC. (2004), a person infected with these bacteria can spread it from the time they themselves are infected and may continue spreading it until they get proper treatment. Chlamydia trachomatis is treated using antibiotics and the most recommended antibiotic is doxycycline or azrithromycin. Alternative medication can be administered but through this period the infected person should not have sexual contact with their partners because re-infection can occur.
Epidemiological triangle
Epidemiological triangle is a model used to establish the causation of a certain disease and it mainly involves three elements namely: “the agent,” “the host,” and the environment. This model is used to put emphasis on the relationship between the three elements in both infectious and non-infectious diseases. In the case of Chlamydia trachomatis, the agent is the Chlamydia trachomatis bacterium; the host factors will include unprotected sex with infected persons, conducive environment for the bacterium to grow, weakened resistance, and lack of treatment. The environmental factors will include sexual contacts with new or multiple partners without protection, and poor hygiene and sanitation. Chlamydia trachomatis is passed through sexual contact from person to person; therefore the agent which is the bacterium will be transmitted to the host who is having unprotected intercourse with another infected person (Sleet, 2001).
The circle continues with support from the environment which surrounds the host. From this summary, it is clear that the agent causes the disease; the host is the human being who is exposed to and harbors the disease. The human being gets sick and develops symptoms like burning sensation when urinating and discharge from either the vagina or penis. The environment is the favorable conditions or surrounding where the disease is transmitted. In the center of the triangle, there is time which demonstrates the incubation period of the particular disease. In this case, the incubation period for Chlamydia trachomatis is one to five weeks.
Levels of prevention of Chlamydia trachomatis
The primary level of preventing Chlamydia trachomatis involves the infected limiting his or her number of sexual partners they have. The secondary level of prevention requires the infected to use the female or male condom to protect against possible transmission of the bacteria. The tertiary level of prevention requires the infected to seek medical care; both partners should accompany each other to the clinic to get treatment (Fortenberry, 1999).
Recent research
In 2008, the United Kingdom carried out research to determine the rates of infection regarding Chlamydia infections by region and sex. The study found that the distribution of Chlamydia trachomatis had less variation as compared to syphilis and gonorrhea. The rates of infection were found to be high in London, North West, and Yorkshire. The infected in a population of 100,000males and females in London were 272 and 271 respectively, while in Yorkshire 175 and 215 males and females were infected. In North West, 152 males and 191 females were infected; these regional variations reflected the provision of services just as disease prevalence (Fenton, 2001).
The World Health Organization is the main organization that addresses the Chlamydia trachomatis disease with the various governments in the countries of the world developing their means to do the same as well. World Health Organization helps in putting up long standing control measures against the disease (Sleet, 2001).
Nursing role of surveillance
In a group of 100,000 males and females, screening was done to establish and identify the risk factors of contracting Chlamydia trachomatis. The national surveillance system had the nurses detect the signs and symptoms of Chlamydia trachomatis in all individuals. The roles played by the nurses were determined by the health care needs of the patients in the population. The data collection systems required the nurses to enter the patients’ variables into the “electronic medical records” (EMRs). The data was then used to do the surveillance; by defining the disease, and establishing the routes of its transmission so as to provide the care required (www.nursingworld.org)
Conclusion
Chlamydia trachomatis is an infection affecting the young and sexually active individuals. The risk factors include having multiple sexual partners and the failure to use protection or rather condom. Study fro World Health Organization shows that, incidences of infection have increased in the period of the last ten years. Screening intervenes to control the infections which most of the times is asymptomatic.
Works Cited
Fenton, K. (2001). Sexual behaviour in Britain: reported sexually transmitted infections and prevalent genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection. The Lancet, 358 (9296), 1851-1854.
Fortenberry, D. (1999). Subsequent sexually transmitted infections among adolescent women with genital infection due to Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria
gonorrhoeae, or Trichomonas vaginalis. Sexually transmitted diseases, 26 (1), 26.
Ghadirian, F. (2009). Chlamydia trachomatis genital infections. The British Journal of Venereal Diseases, 55 (6), 415.
Grunbaum, J. (2004). Youth risk behavior surveillance–United States. MMWR. Surveillance summaries: Morbidity and mortality weekly report. Surveillance summaries/CDC, 53 (2), 1.
Morbidity, CDC. (2004) Mortality Weekly Report. Quick Stats: Life Expectancy Ranking at Birth by Sex–Selected Countries and Territories, 1 (1), 1-5.
Sleet, D. (2001). Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC). Proceedings of WHO Meeting to Develop a 5-year Strategy for Road Traffic Injury Prevention, 26 (1), 51.