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Update on Chlamydia trachomatis
Author(s) -
GUASCHINO S.,
DE SETA F.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2000.tb06241.x
Subject(s) - chlamydia trachomatis , ligase chain reaction , chlamydia , medicine , asymptomatic , pelvic inflammatory disease , tubal factor infertility , gynecology , pelvic pain , infertility , population , sex organ , polymerase chain reaction , immunology , obstetrics , biology , surgery , pregnancy , biochemistry , genetics , environmental health , multiplex polymerase chain reaction , gene
A bstract :Chlamydia trachomatis is one the most important sexually transmitted diseases; it can cause serious sequelae despite the absence of symptoms in some people. It's estimated that about 25% of women who have acute salpingitis become infertile, and chlamydial infection is the commonest cause. The introduction of screening programs for its detection are still a topic of discussion. The literature shows that the total cost of examination and treatment of complications known to be associated with genital chlamydial infection (PID, chronic pelvic pain, tubal factor infertility) is generally higher than the total cost of a large‐scale Chlamydia screening program. The selection of a diagnostic test for detection of chlamydial genital infection depends on availability, local expertise, and prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in the test population. Cell culture is too expensive in nonendemic regions, so the use of non‐culture techniques is very attractive. PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and LCR (ligase chain reaction) are actually the two most commonly used alternatives to conventional methods for detecting STD agents. In fact, PCR and LCR have proved useful for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in cervical and urethral samples both in symptomatic and asymptomatic women. Recently, testing of first‐void urine (FVU) specimens with these techniques has shown that the amplification tests are as sensitive as tests with endocervical swab cultures.