ABSTRACT
Chlamydial urethritis is inflammation of the urethra due to Chlamydia trachomatis infection. C. trachomatis is a pathogenic bacterium which is dependent on the hosts cells to live, and cannot survive outside a living cell. Although C. Trachomatis can cause eye and respiratory disease, it usually infects the lower urogenital tract, and is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Untreated chlamydial urethritis can lead to different complications in males and females as follows, with some of the complications resembling those from untreated gonococcal infections. Antibiotics are used to manage chlamydial urethritis, with specific treatment depending on whether the condition is uncomplicated or complicated. Urethritis is confirmed by the presence of raised numbers of white blood cells in the urethral discharge under gram staining. For ophthalmia neonatorum and chlamydial pneumonia, a course of antibiotics may be necessary. To prevent passing the infection to others, sexual partners should also be treated, even if they are asymptomatic.
