Genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Egyptian women: incidence among different clinical risk groups.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate genital Chlamydial infection incidence among high risk clinical conditions in Egyptian women.

METHODS

A case control study in Ain Shams University Hospital involving 501 patients with cervicitis (n = 58), abnormal cervical smear (n = 256), tubal infertility (n = 85), ectopic pregnancy (n = 22), preterm labour (n = 80) and 192 controls. Active cervical Chlamydial infection was diagnosed using direct immunofluorescent technique. Data were analyzed by Chi-square (chi 2) and Z tests.

RESULTS

Significant increase of Chlamydial infection among different clinical conditions compared to controls. The percentage of positive chlamydial infection was 79.3% among cervicitis group, 33.3% among subjects with inflammatory smear, 75.2% among those with cervical condyloma, 82.6% among those with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, 51.8% among tubal infertility subjects, 77.2% among ectopic patients and 56.3% among subjects with preterm labour.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of Chlamydial infection in these high risk Egyptian patients is relatively high. Emperical treatment is recommended as the diagnosis is costly and usually not available.