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A population based seroepidemiological survey of Chlamydia pneumoniae infections in schoolchildren
1Department of Public Medicine Sciences, UCO Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Trieste and IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
Aim:
A serosurvey was carried out in schoolchildren from a northeastern area of Italy to define the burden of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection.
Methods:
A sample of 649 schoolchildren underwent a simplified version of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire and IgG and IgA antibodies were investigated using an enzyme immunoassay, followed by a microimmunofluorescence assay in reactive sera.
Results:
Of the children examined, 29% and 19.7% had IgG and IgA antibodies, respectively. The IgG prevalence increased with age. No other sociodemographical variable was related to C pneumoniae infection. An association was established between IgA prevalence and previous otitis media.
Conclusions:
A mesoendemic (intermediate between high and low endemic level) pattern of C pneumoniae infection is present in schoolchildren from this area and the prevalence rate is related to age. Moreover, this is the first epidemiological evidence of the role of C pneumoniae in otitis.
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