Most people who have chlamydia don't know it, since the disease often has no symptoms. Chlamydia is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. It's easily cured, but can cause problems if left untreated.

Women under age 25 (as well as older women with risk factors) should get tested every year for chlamydia, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older women with new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner with an STI, should get tested every year. In addition, pregnant women and men who have sex with men should get tested.

It affects both men and women, and if left untreated, can lead to serious health problems. For women, this can include pelvic pain, an inability to get pregnant, or a potentially deadly ectopic pregnancy. (An ectopic pregnancy occurs outside the uterus.)

"Chlamydia is a common but potentially serious infection," said Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Lennon, a family medicine physician at Naval Hospital Jacksonville. "Talk to your doctor about getting tested."

Testing is as easy as providing a urine sample in a lab. Patients can get tested during a visit to their primary care manager (PCM). Patients can call or email their PCM to schedule a test in the lab, or patients can make an appointment with their PCM.

Chlamydia can be cured with the right treatment, from the doctor. It's important to take all of the pills the doctor prescribes. The patient's partner needs to seek treatment, as well.

Find out more at www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia.

To email the PCM for non-urgent issues, sign up for secure messaging at https://mil.RelayHealth.com or www.TRICAREonline.com.

To make an appointment with the PCM, log on to www.TRICAREonline.com, or call (904) 542-4677 (Naval Hospital Jacksonville) or (904) 546-7094 (Branch Health Clinic Jacksonville).

For 24/7 clinical advice, call the Nurse Advice Line at
800-TRICARE (800-874-2273).

Naval Hospital Jacksonville's priority since its founding in 1941 is to heal the nation's heroes and their families. The command is comprised of the Navy's third largest hospital and five branch health clinics across Florida and Georgia. Of its patient population (163,000 active and retired sailors, soldiers, Marines, airmen, guardsmen, and their families), about 85,000 are enrolled with a primary care manager and Medical Home Port team at one of its facilities. To find out more or download the command's mobile app, visit www.med.navy.mil/sites/navalhospitaljax.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Naval Hospital Jacksonville, visit www.navy.mil/.