[Assessment of sputum culture and serology for detection of chlamydia pneumoniae in patients with symptomatic acute respiratory tract infection].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate sputum culture and serology for detection of chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) in adult patients with acute respiratory tract infection and normal subjects.

METHODS

Microimmunoflorescence (micro-IF) test for IgG and IgM antibodies to C. pneumoniae specific antigen was performed in every subject. Thirty-seven patients also had sputum HEP-2 cell culture tested for C. pneumoniae.

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients (29.7%) with micro-IF IgG titres equal to or greater than 1:512 or/and IgM titres equal to or greater than 1:32 indicated recent infection. Eight patients (21.3%) with positive sputum culture of C. pnuemoniae were identified. No similar titer was shown in control normal subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute infection of C. pneumoniae was common in symptomatic patients with acute respiratory tract infection and attention should be drawn to this special illness.