Presence Of Antichlamydial Antibodies Research Articles

Chlamydia trachomatis‐induced cell‐mediated and humoral immune response in women with unexplained infertility

What is the role of past Chlamydia trachomatis infection in unexplained infertility? This is a prospective study of the impact of past C.trachomatis infection on pregnancy rates in 96 women with unexplained infertility. Both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses (CMI) against C.trachomatis were studied. Serum C.trachomatis IgG antibodies were analyzed using major outer membrane protein (MOMP) peptide-based ELISA. CMI was studied by lymphocyte proliferation (LP) assay in vitro. Data on given fertility treatment, time to pregnancy, and pregnancy outcome were collected. Altogether, 11.5% of the 96 women had C.trachomatis IgG antibodies. LP response to C.trachomatis was positive in 62.9% women. The overall pregnancy rate or live birth rate did not differ by the presence of antichlamydial antibodies or CMI against C.trachomatis. Time to spontaneous pregnancy was longer among C.trachomatis sero-positive women than among sero-negative women (2.9years vs 2.0years, P=.03). Past chlamydial infection does not play a major role in unexplained infertility. Women with unexplained infertility and positive immune response to C.trachomatis do not have reduced pregnancy rates, but time to spontaneous pregnancy is longer among C.trachomatis IgG sero-positive women than among sero-negative women.

Antichlamydial Antibodies, Human Fertility, and Pregnancy Wastage

Genital infections with Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) continue to be a worldwide epidemic. Immune response to chlamydia is important to both clearance of the disease and disease pathogenesis. Interindividual responses and current chlamydial control programs will have enormous effects on this disease and its control strategies. Humoral immune response to C. trachomatis occurs in humans and persistent antibody levels appear to be most directly correlated with more severe and longstanding disease and with reinfection. There is a close correlation between the presence of antichlamydial antibodies in females and tubal factor infertility; the closest associations have been found for antibodies against chlamydial heat shock proteins. The latter antibodies have also been shown to be useful among infertile patients with prior ectopic pregnancy, and their presence has been correlated with poor IVF outcomes, including early pregnancy loss. We review the existing literature on chlamydial antibody testing in infertile patients and present an algorithm for such testing in the infertile couple.

No association of anti-Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies and severity of cervical neoplasia

Objective: To explore whether the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies is associated with the severity of neoplastic lesions in women with cervical dyskaryosis. Methods: In a cross sectional study in...

Prevalence of Chlamydia Trachomatis Pooled Serotypes BDE and FGK in Children with Chronic Follicular Conjunctivitis

Purpose: To evaluate type-specific antichlamydial antibody IgG in children with chronic follicular conjunctivitis. Methods: A total of 90 serum samples from juvenile patients with chronic follicular conjunctivitis were collected in the Southeastern Anatolian region of Turkey where trachoma is still endemic. These samples were investigated regarding Chlamydia trachomatis pooled serotype-specific IgG by using the micro-immunofluorescence test. A titer of 1/32 or higher was considered positive. Results: Specific IgG seropositivity to Chlamydia trachomatis titer was found in 33 (36.1%) of the 90 subjects. A higher titer was observed frequently in the serotypes pooled in BDE (21 subjects), CHIJ (10 subjects), and FGK (2 subjects), respectively. Conclusions: The presence of antichlamydial antibodies in blood should always be interpreted in accordance with the history of the patient, the clinical picture, and the course of the disease. In the diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in a patient with chronic follicular conjunctivitis, not only genus-specific antibodies but also the presence of the subspeciespecific antibodies should be investigated.

Immunology: Circulating antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis in women: relationship to antisperm and antichiamydial antibodies in semen of male partners

The relation between antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis and spermatozoa in sera of 112 asymptomatic female partners of infertile couples with no history of C.trachomatis infections and antichlamydial antibodies in semen or antisperm antibodies on ejaculated spermatozoa of their male partners was examined. Samples were tested for immunoglobulin (Ig)A and IgG antibodies to C.trachomatis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; antisperm antibodies in sera and on motile spermatozoa were assayed by immunobead binding. IgG antibodies to C.trachomatis were detected in 24 (21.4%) of the women; only five (4.5%) women were positive for antichlamydial IgA. Antichlamydial IgG was detected in sera from 10 (40.0%) of 25 women whose partners had antichlamydial IgA in semen as opposed to 14 (16.1%) of 87 women whose partners' semen were negative for this antibody (P = 0.02). Similarly, antichlamydial IgG was detected in sera from five (50%) of 10 women whose partners had antichlamydial IgG in semen as opposed to 19 (18.6%) of 102 women whose partners' semen lacked this antibody (P = 0.03). There was no relation between antichlamydial antibodies in women and circulating antichlamydial antibodies in men. A strong correlation (P = 0.001) was observed between IgG antichlamydial antibodies in a woman's serum and antisperm antibodies on ejaculated spermatozoa of her partner [8 of 14 (57.1%) versus 16 of 98 (16.3%)]. Conversely, antichlamydial antibodies in a woman's serum was unrelated to the presence of antisperm antibodies in either her own serum or her partner's serum. The data demonstrate that chlamydial infections of the male genital tract, which are associated with antisperm antibody formation on ejaculated spermatozoa, are likely to be transmitted to the female partner. In contrast, the presence of antichlamydial antibodies in sera does not necessarily appear to indicate an infection of the genital tract and is not associated with the heterosexual transmission of C.trachomatis.

Antichlamydial activity of tear fluid.

Tear fluid collected from healthy children and adults, was tested for its capacity to inhibit Chlamydia trachomatis, serotype I, to form inclusions in McCoy cell cultures. Pooled tear fluid added to such cultures reduced the chlamydial inclusion count even at concentrations of 1%. The inhibitory activity was concentration-dependent. The chlamydial inhibitory factor has a molecular weight of less than 10,000 dalton and the principle is heat-stable. The antichlamydial factor seems to affect the attachment of the elementary body (EB) to the host cell surface, while no effect on the intracellular development and reproduction of the chlamydiae could be demonstrated. The activity could not be explained by the presence of antichlamydial antibodies.

Chlamydial Infections in Women

The impractical isolation procedures available to the general provider of women's health services make diagnosis difficult and often one of exclusion. Looking at the presence of antichlamydial antibodies in cervical secretions may be a more practical detector of infection. More research needs to be carried on in the area of isolation techniques. More importantly, nurse clinicians/practitioners need to be aware of the necessity of treating NGU contacts. As with many conditions, the asymptomatic carrier is the most important link in the control of the disease. Awareness of the potential of these infections will help in their control.