Chlamydia Infections in Urogenital Tract – Application of Direct Immunofluorescence in the Diagnostics of Chlamydia trachomatis in the East Bohemian Region of Czech Republic during 1997–2003

Czech version

Authors: M. Főrstl ¹; V. Štěpánová ¹; V. Buchta ¹; I. Kalousek ²; J. Špaček ²; Z. Veselský ³; P. Macek ⁴; M. Chrzová ⁵
Authors‘ workplace: Ústav klinické mikrobiologie FN a LF UK, Hradec Králové ¹; Porodnická a gynekologická klinika FN a LF UK, Hradec Králové ²; Urocentrum, Praha ³; Urologická klinka VFN a 1. LF UK, Praha ⁴; Katedra technických předmětů PdF LF UK, Hradec Králové ⁵
Published in: Ceska Gynekol 2005; 70(2): 128-133
Category: Original Article

Overview

Objective:
The aim of the study was an evaluation of results of Chlamydia trachomatis antigen detection by means of direct immunofluorescence in samples from patients suspected from this infection.

Design:
Retrospective study.

Setting:
Institute of clinical microbiology, University Hospital and Medical Faculty of Charles University, Hradec Králové.

Methods:
Samples from females were swabs from uterine cervix, vagina and urethra, from male urethral swabs; moreover conjunctival swabs, bronchoalveolar irrigation, lower respiratory tract aspirates and sputum. Samples were fixed and „dyed” with monoclonal specific antibody labeled by fluorescent dye in the lab with a commercial diagnostic kit and they were evaluated microscopically after adding a drop of glycerol and covering with a top slide.

Results:
Within a group of 6126 samples from patients suspected from Chlamydia infection we have found positivity in 14.4 %. Of this subgroup 14.1 % in samples from genitourinary tract of females and 15.2 % in males, 14.1 % from conjunctival swabs and 3.7 % from lower respiratory tract. According to an age differentiation, positive samples in individual life-decades from genitourinary tract were 0–13–14.4–13.9–13.9 and in females over 60 13.9 %. In males the corresponding walues were 0–21.4–15.1–16–13.4 and those over 60 years 16 %. So, the highest positivity in our region has been detected in samples from young men aged 20–30, where it is nearly two-fold higher comparison to age-matched females.

Conclusion:
Direct detection of Chlamydia trachomatis antigen with immunofluorescence method still remains a reliable diagnostic tool. But for a control or confirmation of disputable results it is inconditionally necessary to have at least one more method available, e.g. PCR.

Key words:
Chlamydia trachomatis, antigen detection, immunofluorescence, genitourinary tract, eye, conjunctiva, sputum, irrigation