Women often do not experience any symptoms, and therefore may have a higher propensity to carry the disease untreated. Chlamydia will also increase vaginal discharge and possibly light bleeding between periods. This bleeding may indicate that the infection has spread to the uterus. Anal infection may cause discomfort and produce discharge. If chlamydia is not detected and treated there may be serious complications.
Advanced chlamydia can cause infection of the appendix, heart and liver.
In addition, men risk an infection of the epididymis which may cause infertility. Chlamydia is also a cause of pelvic inflammatory disease in women. However, the symptoms of PID caused by gonorrhea are more severe than those caused by chlamydia and hence diagnosis may be difficult. Chlamydia is caused by the bacteria chlamydia trachomatis. This bacteria can only live inside cells therefore a bodily exchange of infected fluids is necessary for transmission.