Chlamydial infections in women

Abstract

Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) is a Gram-negative bacterium with an obligatory intracellular life cycle. Tropism manifests through columnar epithelia in the uterine cervix, rectum, lungs, and eyes. The literature review of the Medline database identified 3,458 papers. The WHO estimates that over 100 million new cases of infection by Ct occur worldwide annually, with an increase of 4.1% since the last global evaluation conducted in 2006. Chlamydia trachomatis is the most frequent sexually transmissible bacterium in the United States with a yearly incidence of more than one million reported cases. Approximately 50 to 75% of infected women show no symptoms of the infection or appear to be mucopurulent cervicitis. Pain caused by cervical motion or evaluation of the accessories in response to a bimanual exam suggests the infection has moved on to the upper genital tract leading to endometritis, salpingitis and peritonitis and its consequences: pelvic pain, infertility, ectopic pregnancy. Chlamydia trachomatis may also be the etiologic agent of bacterial urethritis, in which case, despite the patient’s report of dysuria, the urine culture is negative for the usual urinary pathogens. Since bacteria favor columnar epithelia, the Skene and the Bartholin vestibular glands may also be a site of infection and attendant symptoms. The nucleic acid amplification test is the most recommended for its higher sensitivity and specificity and is currently the gold standard for diagnosis. The antibiotics for the treatment should be chosen for their intracellular penetration ability and should have a half-life of 36 to 48 hours to cover the bacterium’s life cycle. Azithromycin is excellent at intracellular penetration, has a half-life of 5 to 7 days, and can be administered in a single dose; it may also be given to pregnant women. A recent meta-analysis showed a small increase (3%) of better outcome in the use of doxycycline against azithromycin in the treatment of urogenital infection.