Serum Antichlamydial Antibodies Research Articles

Study the role of Chlamydia trachomatis in ectopic pregnancy in Iraqi women

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Chlamydia trachomatis as a risk factor in ectopic pregnancy in Iraqi women. The study involves two groups, the first group included 24 women diagnosed as ectopic pregnancy, while the second group included 24 women as control group diagnosed as normal pregnancy. Both groups were admitted to Al-Elweya Teaching Hospital, Baghdad from November 2009 to July 2010. Serum antichlamydial antibodies were investigated in both studied groups using enzyme_linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results revealed a significant(p<0.05) percentage of IgG antichlamydial antibodies in women detected as ectopic pregnant, as compared with control normal pregnant (45 vs. 8.3%). On the other hand, ectopic pregnant women exhibited low (p<0.05)IgM antichlamydial antibodies 4% as compared with control group. In conclusion all women with seropositive to Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies had pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

Association of the Serum Anti-chlamydial Antibodies with Tubal Infertility

Infertility is increasingly becoming a significant health problem in many areas of the world. The infection which is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis is a major cause of tubal factor infertility secondary to salpingitis. However, the data which pertains to infertility attributed to the C. trachomatis infection is limited in India. To evaluate the chlamydial infection in women who suffered from infertility and to investigate the possible role of the chlamydia serology as a screening test for tubal infertility. This study was aimed at evaluating the chlamydial infection in fifty women with primary infertility and at investigating the possible role of the chlamydial serology as a screening test for tubal infertility, by the detection of the anti-chlamydial IgM antibodies by using E.L.I.S.A. The present prospective study was carried out at a tertiary care hospital in north India. In this study, a high seropositivity (60%) for the antichlamydial antibody was observed. 52% females showed bilateral tubal blockage, while the most common site of the blockage was the ampullary portion (36%). These findings highlighted a strong correlation between the tubal factor infertility and the antichlamydial antibodies. It also stressed on the need of the screening of infertile women for C. trachomatis with laboratory investigations, which could provide a rapid and specific diagnosis so that early therapeutic interventions could be instituted.

Persistence of antichlamydial antibodies after treatment of acute salpingitis with doxycycline

The effect of treatment with doxycycline on serum IgG and IgA antichamydial antibodies was evaluated in 33 women who had had acute salpingitis associated with high titers of serum IgG (≥ 1:128) and/or IgA (≥ 1:16) antichlamydial antibodies. Overall, 29 women (87.9%) remained with high titers of IgG and/or IgA antibodies. No change or insignificant change in IgG antibody titer was demonstrated in 21 women (63.6%) and in IgA antibody titer in 21 women (63.6%). Positive seroconversion or a significant increase (≥ 4-fold) in IgG antibody titer was demonstrated in eight women (24.2%) and in IgA antibody titer in six women (18.1%). Negative seroconversion or a significant decrease in IgG antibody titer was demonstrated in four women (12.1%) and in IgA antibody titer in six women (18.1%). It is concluded that in most patients who had acute salpingitis associated with pretreatment high titers of serum antichlamydial antibodies, posttreatment titers may remain high even if treatment with doxycycline results in complete resolution of clinical signs and symptoms of the disease.

Serum antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis in women with ectopic pregnancy, normal pregnancy or salpingitis

Serum antichlamydial antibodies were studied in three groups. Group A included 49 women with recent ectopic pregnancy, group B included 56 women with normal first trimester pregnancy, and group C included 20 women with a first episode of acute salpingitis. In the ectopic pregnancy group, a significantly higher percentage of women had IgG antichlamydial antibodies than in the normal pregnancy group (75.5% vs. 46.4%, P < 0.001). Women with acute salpingitis had the same prevalence of IgG antibodies as patients who had an ectopic pregnancy (60% vs. 75.5%, P < 0.10). In the ectopic pregnancy group, the women had a significantly higher geometric mean titer (GMT) of antichlamydial IgG antibodies than women with an intra-uterine pregnancy (70.4% vs. 27.3%, P < 0.001). The results suggest that there is a positive relation between prior Chlamydia trachomatis infection and risk for tubal pregnancy.

Recovery of Chlamydia trachomatis from the Endometrium in Infertile Women with Serum Antichlamydial Antibodies

Upper genital tract infection with Chlamydia trachomatis appears to be a frequent cause of salpingitis and tubal infertility. However, the prevalence of active infection in women with infertility has not been well-defined. To examine this question, endocervical and endometrial cultures for C. trachomatis were obtained from infertile women with serum antibodies to C. trachomatis. The first 19 consecutive patients with titers greater than or equal to 1/32 were cultured. C. trachomatis was recovered from the endometrium or endocervix in six (32%) of the women examined and from the endometrium in five (26%). These findings indicate that a significant portion of infertile women with serum antichlamydial antibodies may have active upper genital tract infection with C. trachomatis at the time of presentation.

Recovery of Chlamydia trachomatis from the endometrium in infertile women with serum antichlamydial antibodies

Upper genital tract infection with Chlamydia trachomatis appears to be a frequent cause of salpingitis and tubal infertility. However, the prevalence of active infection in women with infertility has not been well-defined. To examine this question, endocervical and endometrial cultures for C. trachomatis were obtained from infertile women with serum antibodies to C. trachomatis. The first 19 consecutive patients with titers greater than or equal to 1/32 were cultured. C. trachomatis was recovered from the endometrium or endocervix in six (32%) of the women examined and from the endometrium in five (26%). These findings indicate that a significant portion of infertile women with serum antichlamydial antibodies may have active upper genital tract infection with C. trachomatis at the time of presentation.

Factors predicting abnormal hysterosalpingographic findings in patients treated for acute pelvic inflammatory disease

One hundred forty-six consecutive inpatients with acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) were randomly treated either with the combination of doxycycline and metronidazole or with the combination of penicillin G/amoxicillin and metronidazole. Forty-three women underwent hysterosalpingography (HSG) 6 months after the treatment, and a multivariate statistical analysis was used to study the effect of 11 different variables (parity, history of previous abortion, history of previous PID, use of an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD), use of oral contraceptives, presence of adnexal mass, results of cervical cultures for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Chlamydia trachomatis, presence of serum antichlamydial antibodies, penicillin-metronidazole treatment, and doxycyclin-metronidazole treatment) on the hysterosalpingographic findings. Abnormal HSG was most likely to occur in women who had antichlamydial antibodies present in the serum, an adnexal mass detected on the initial bimanual examination, or had an IUD (positive associations) and least likely to occur in women who had been treated with the combination of doxycycline and metronidazole (negative association).

Correlation between Serum Antichlamydial Antibodies and Tubal Factor as a Cause of Infertility

Although salpingitis frequently produces tubal damage and infertility, many women with tubal factor as a cause of their infertility do not have a clinical history of salpingitis. In order to investigate whether or not some such cases might be due to subclinical chlamydial infections, we measured antichlamydial antibodies in the serum of 172 women consecutively undergoing evaluation for infertility. Only 16 (9.3%) had a prior history of salpingitis. Sixty-one (35%) had antichlamydial antibodies (S+), and of these 75% had tubal factor as a sole or contributing cause of their infertility, versus 28% of the seronegative (S–) women (x 2 = 34, P Subclinical infections with Chlamydia trachomatis may be a major cause of tubal infertility in the United States, and chlamydial serologic studies may be useful in identifying that subset of infertile women likely to have tubal factor.

Correlation between serum antichlamydial antibodies and tubal factor as a cause of infertility

Although salpingitis frequently produces tubal damage and infertility, many women with tubal factor as a cause of their infertility do not have a clinical history of salpingitis. In order to investigate whether or not some such cases might be due to subclinical chlamydial infections, we measured antichlamydial antibodies in the serum of 172 women consecutively undergoing evaluation for infertility. Only 16 (9.3%) had a prior history of salpingitis. Sixty-one (35%) had antichlamydial antibodies (S+), and of these 75% had tubal factor as a sole or contributing cause of their infertility, versus 28% of the seronegative (S-) women (x2 - 34, P less than 0.001). There was no association between chlamydial seropositivity and any infertility factor other than tubal factor in multivariant analyses. Subclinical infections with Chlamydia trachomatitis may be a major cause of tubal infertility in the United States, and chlamydial serologic studies may be useful in identifying the subset of infertile women likely to have tubal factor.

Antichlamydial antibodies in chronic palmoplantar pustulosis

Serum antichlamydial antibodies were determined with an immunofluorescence method in 40 patients affected by palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP). Antibody titre greater than or equal to 16 was found in 53% of the cases, the titre being greater than or equal to 64 in 38% of the patients. By comparison, a titre of greater than or equal to 64 was found in 13% out of 55 psoriatics, in 12% out of 41 eczema and urticaria patients, and in 3% out of 37 healthy controls. The difference between the results from the PPP patients and that of the healthy controls was statistically significant (p &lt; 0.01). In only 8 of the 40 PPP patients was any additional evidence found of a previous venereal infection. The possibility that PPP may represent an abnormal reaction to infectious agents, e.g. Chlamydia, is discussed.