Nursing management of the patient with Chlamydia trachomatis infection

Nurs Clin North Am. 1988 Dec;23(4):877-83.

Abstract

Information on the recognition and management of clinical syndromes commonly caused by Chlamydia should be widely disseminated. Clinicians must be able to make risk assessments on their patients who may have asymptomatic disease. Because chlamydial infections are often undiagnosed, infected patients continue to spread the organisms to their sexual partners and to neonates. Sexual contacts of patients with Chlamydia or gonorrhea should receive treatment regimens effective against both organisms. Patients who are infected with gonorrhea should receive treatment regimens effective against both organisms. Chlamydia culture is the gold standard for detection of the organism. Antigen detection methods have been developed that offer a low-cost alternative to culture, but these tests are not ideal. Chlamydia tests are not a substitute for clinical experience and risk assessment by the nurse practitioner.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Chlamydia Infections / diagnosis
  • Chlamydia Infections / drug therapy
  • Chlamydia Infections / nursing*
  • Chlamydia trachomatis
  • Conjunctivitis, Bacterial / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / diagnosis
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / drug therapy
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / nursing*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents