Possibly chlamydia?

[grove185]

I have been in a faithful relationship for almost a year.  A week ago my boyfriend started complaining of it burning when he urinates. He asked me if he needs to get tested for STDS?  but i have been faithful!  Is there any way he could have an STD, like chlamydia?  Before him and I started dating, I was tested positive and treated for gonnorhea.  I've recently read that gonnorhea and chlamydia can co-exist but I wasn't treated for chlamydia.  Could I have it for over a year and not know it?  Could I have given it to him and he show symptoms after a year?!?  I have no symptoms and after I was treated for gonnorhea I had a followup test that was negative. I have also heard of NGU - what is this?  He has an apointment with a urologist next week.
  
Thank you for your help.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Dr.  Hook is away from the forum for a few days.

It probably is rare for men to carry chlamydia for a year.  The body's immune system almost always clears up the infection long before that, even without antibiotic treatment.

Most STD specialists agree that people in your situation should be tested before treatment is prescribed.  Levaquin in that dose would probably cure most possible STDs, but 7 days treatment would have been more certain against chlamydia or NGU.  It is somewhat less reliable against gonorrhea, but there is no realistic chance you had gonorrhea without symptoms.  Levaquin has no effect on syphlilis or trichomonas.

[grove185]

I was wondering if it's possible for me to carry chlamydia for almost a year with neither of us having symptoms?  His doctor prescribed 500 mg levaquin for 5 days without doing any std testing ( i don't really understand why).  Would that be enough to clear any std or other infection?  I'm wondering if I should get tested....

[Edward W Hook, MD]

If you had gonorrhea but were not treated for chlamydia, it is possible that you had that infection and have carried it without symptoms for a long period of time.  Chlamydia occurs without symptoms in over 60% of women and over 40% of men who have the infection.  In addition, at least 30-40% of women who have gonorrhea have chlamydia at the same time.

His symptoms do sound a bit like NGU (nongonococcal urethritis) which is an infection of the penis which is not due to gonorrhea.  Chlamydia causes some of it, as do many other microorganisms.  

My advice is that you both should go together to a clinic where you can be evaluated for infection (you local health department can make suggestions).  At the very least you need to be evaluated for chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomonas while he needs to be tested for NGU, chlamydia and NGU.  If either of you has any of these infections, you both need to be treated with the same medications and abstain from sex until you are both through with treatment.

I congratulate you both for your concern and the communication which you and your partner have had.  If either of you have an STD, there is nothing to be gained by trying to figure out who gave what to whom as there is really no way to tell.   I hope the the two of you can resolve this issue and move on.  EWH