Serological methods are important in the study of the epidemiology and pathogenesis of Chlamydia trachomatis. However, their application in clinical diagnosis has been less successful. The microimmunofluorescence (micro-IF, or MIF) test is, so far, the only test that has an acceptable specificity and sensitivity. Other immunofluorescence tests and enzyme- and radioimmunoassays made available to date are of comparable sensitivity but present varying degrees of cross reaction to non-trachomatis chlamydiae, an entity whose prevalence currently is not known. The complement fixation (CF) test with the chlamydial group antigen is the least specific and sensitive method, and can only be applied in the diagnosis of deep chlamydial infections. The diagnostic value of the detection of antibodies in secretions of Chlamydia-infected individuals has not been finally evaluated.
血清学方法在沙眼衣原体的流行病学和发病机制研究中具有重要意义。然而，它们在临床诊断中的应用并不太成功。迄今为止，微量免疫荧光（micro-IF，或MIF）试验是唯一具有可接受的特异性和敏感性的试验。目前可用的其他免疫荧光试验以及酶免疫测定和放射免疫测定具有相当的敏感性，但对非沙眼衣原体衣原体存在不同程度的交叉反应，目前尚不清楚该病原体的流行情况。使用衣原体属群抗原的补体结合（CF）试验是特异性和敏感性最低的方法，仅可用于深部衣原体感染的诊断。对衣原体感染个体分泌物中抗体检测的诊断价值尚未得到最终评估。
