Gijsen A P, Land J A, Goossens V J, Leffers P, Bruggeman C A, Evers J L
Research Institute Growth and Development (GROW), Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Hum Reprod. 2001 Mar;16(3):487-91. doi: 10.1093/humrep/16.3.487.
Chlamydia antibody testing (CAT) by micro-immunofluorescence (MIF) tests has been introduced into the fertility work-up as a screening test for tubal factor subfertility. In this study the role of C. pneumoniae antibodies, as a cause for false positive CAT results due to cross-reactivity with C. trachomatis antibodies in the MIF test, has been evaluated. In 240 subfertile women serological data were compared to laparoscopy findings. The prevalence of C. pneumoniae antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was 75% and did not differ between patients with and without tubal pathology. C. pneumoniae antibodies were found in 87% of women with a positive MIF test (> or =32), and in 66% with a negative MIF test (P < 0.0005). Using ELISA instead of MIF for the detection of C. trachomatis antibodies, C. pneumoniae antibodies were found in 87% of C. trachomatis positive women, and in 69% of C. trachomatis negative women (P < 0.0005). Patients without tubal factor subfertility but a positive MIF test showed C. pneumoniae antibodies more frequently than patients without tubal factor subfertility and a negative MIF test. Therefore it was suggested that C. pneumoniae antibodies may be the cause of false positive CAT results. Remarkably, tubal pathology was more common in patients who had antibodies to both C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae.
通过微量免疫荧光（MIF）试验进行的衣原体抗体检测（CAT）已被引入生育检查中，作为输卵管因素亚生育力的筛查试验。在本研究中，评估了肺炎衣原体抗体在MIF试验中因与沙眼衣原体抗体交叉反应而导致CAT结果假阳性的作用。对240名亚生育力女性的血清学数据与腹腔镜检查结果进行了比较。使用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）检测肺炎衣原体抗体的患病率为75%，有输卵管病变和无输卵管病变的患者之间无差异。MIF试验阳性（≥32）的女性中87%检测到肺炎衣原体抗体，MIF试验阴性的女性中66%检测到肺炎衣原体抗体（P<0.0005）。使用ELISA而非MIF检测沙眼衣原体抗体时，沙眼衣原体阳性女性中87%检测到肺炎衣原体抗体，沙眼衣原体阴性女性中69%检测到肺炎衣原体抗体（P<0.0005）。无输卵管因素亚生育力但MIF试验阳性的患者比无输卵管因素亚生育力且MIF试验阴性的患者更频繁地检测到肺炎衣原体抗体。因此，提示肺炎衣原体抗体可能是CAT结果假阳性的原因。值得注意的是，同时对沙眼衣原体和肺炎衣原体有抗体的患者中输卵管病变更为常见。
