[Non-gonococcal urethritis and cervicitis. Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis and detection of anti-Chlamydia antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence]

Abstract

The responsibility of Chlamydia trachomatis in non-gonococcal urethritis and cervicitis was investigated in 267 patients of both sexes. It was confirmed in 36.3% of patients with urethritis and 20.9% of patients with cervicitis by isolating C. trachomatis on Hela 229 cells in the presence of cytochalasin B. No clinical feature specific of C. trachomatis infection could be elicited. The patients were tested for total IgM-type serum anti-chlamydia antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence (IF), using as antigen the inclusions formed in Hela 229 cells by an L2 serotype of C. trachomatis. The serological study was also performed in 86 blood-donors used as controls. The diagnostic value of IF serology is limited in lower genito-urinary infections; the presence of specific IgM's correlates well with the isolation of C. trachomatis, but these IgM's are not detected in protracted urethritis or cervicitis. In such cases, the aetiological diagnosis can only be made by isolation of C. trachomatis from the focus of infection.