Chlamydia trachomatis urogenital infection in women with infertility.

PURPOSE

The study objective was to evaluate the prevalence of urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis (C.tr.) infection in women with diagnosed infertility.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study involved patients from the Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and from the Center for Reproductive Medicine "Kriobank" in Bialystok. Female patients (n=71), aged 23-41, were divided into two groups according to the main diagnosis: A--tubal infertility (23) and B--infertility of another origin (48). For direct testing, PCR method was used to detect C.tr. infection in cervical samples (Roche, Molecular Systems, N.J., USA). Specific IgA and IgG anti-chlamydial antibodies in the serum were determined by immunoenzymatic assay (medac, Hamburg, Germany). Diagnostic procedures were performed at the Centre for STD Research and Diagnostics in Bialystok.

RESULTS

In group A, C.tr. infection was detected in: 8.7% patients, in group B--8.3%. Specific anti-C.tr. antibodies IgA were detected in: 13.0% in group A and 6.3% in group B, IgG respectively in 39.1% and in 10.4%.

CONCLUSIONS

1. C.tr. infection is very important etiological factor of female infertility. 2. The detection of specific antichlamydial antibodies is a valuable, noninvasive diagnostic procedure. 3. Infertile women should be routinely tested for C.tr. infection.