Evaluation of laparoscopy and endocervical swab in the diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infection of the female genital tract.

A group of 60 consecutive women admitted to the gynaecology department of Eastbourne District General Hospital for pelvic pain were entered into this study. Evidence of C. trachomatis infection of the genital tract was investigated by detection of chlamydial lipopolysaccharide antigen in the peritoneal fluid collected from the pouch of Douglas during laparoscopy and in the endocervical swab. The test used was an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Peritoneal fluid was positive in 11 subjects (18%, P < 0.05), endocervical swab was positive in 3 (5%, P < 0.05). The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.01, two tailed test at 1% level). Ten women with a positive ELISA on the peritoneal fluid had a negative cervical swab, 2 women with a positive cervical swab had negative peritoneal fluid and in only one woman were both cervical swab and peritoneal fluid positive.