Genital chlamydial infections.

Abstract

The isolation of chlamydial trachomatis in sera of patients with gon ococcal urethritis (GU), non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU), post-gonococca l urethritis (PGU) and trachomainclusion conjunctivitis (TRIC) is discussed. Chlamydiae were isolated in 40% of men with NGU, 20-30% with GU and 0-7% of men with symptomatic or microscopic evidence of urethritis. The rates of isolation of chlamydiae in NGU patients were significantly higher than in controls (p less than .001). The sexual tr ansmitability of chlamydiae was significantly higher in the sexual partn ers of men with positive cultures than those with negative cultures (p less than .001). Chlamydial isolation and immunologic studies strongly suggest that chlamydial infection is the primary cause of NGU in some patients. It also appears that chlamydiae are an important cause of PGU in men. Chlamydiae have also been isolated in significantly greater numbers in women with gonorrhea (p less than .001). Oral contraceptive use was also associated with an increased isolation of chlamydiae in the endocervix. It is possible that chlamydial infections persist as latent intracellular infections which are not isolable, but may be reactivated by certain stimuli. Difficulties in correlating the isolability of chlamydiae with genital infections are discussed.