Seroprevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis among Infertile Female Patients : A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Among many sexually transmitted pathogens, Chlamydia trachomatis (C.trachomatis) is increasingly being connected with long-term sequelae like infertility, in addition to its ability to cause genital tract infection. Aim: To determine the seroprevalence of C.trachomatis Infection (CTI) among the infertile female patients at a tertiary care centre. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from March 2019 to February 2020 at the Outpatient Department (OPD) of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Sri Ramachandra Hospital, SRIHER, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Women with primary and secondary infertility were included in the study and their clinical history was collected in a proforma. Estimation of Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) to C.trachomatis was done in the patient’s serum. Results: Out of the 130 female patients with infertility, 10 (7.6%) of them were positive for C.trachomatis IgG antibody. Among the 10 patients, five were primary infertility and the rest were secondary infertility. The most common risk factors were lack of awareness of contraceptive usage, young age, use of Intrauterine Device (IUD) and multiple sexual partners were generally associated with genital Chlamydial infection. Conclusion: The prevalence of C.trachomatis was 7.6% in the present study and was found to vary based upon the culture, hygiene and education. Hence, the present study recommends screening of IgG antibody by ELISA for C.trachomatis, which plays a significant role in the diagnosis of infertility.