About three quarters of women and about half of men who are infected with chlamydia have no symptoms, which is why chlamydia is sometimes called a “silent” disease. When symptoms do occur, they usually start one to three weeks after exposure to the bacterium that causes chlamydia. Symptoms may include:

• painful urination
• lower abdominal pain
• vaginal discharge in women
• penile discharge in men
• painful sexual intercourse in women
• testicular pain or swelling in men

Chlamydia can cause complications if it is left untreated. Unfortunately, this circumstance is all too common because chlamydial infections often have no obvious symptoms. In women, the chlamydia bacteria can spread from the cervix up into the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries leading to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can cause scarring in the fallopian tubes, causing infertility, chronic pain, and increased chance of ectopic pregnancy. In men, untreated chlamydia can infect the urethra or vas deferens and may also cause infertility.