Chlamydial infection in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Sera of patients attending a genitourinary clinic, gynaecological clinic in Al Ali General Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and from males and females without overt genital diseases were tested for the presence of antichlamydial antibodies using an immuno-fluorescence test. Antibodies for Chlamydia trachomatis were found in 66 (46%) of 145 male patients and 72 (35%) of 200 female patients attending a genitourinary clinic and gynaecological clinic respectively and in two (2%) of 100 men and in none of 100 women without genital diseases. These results suggest that the prevalence of chlamydial infection in Saudi Arabia among both men and women is high. Since serious complications can follow chlamydial genital infection, further work has to be done in this field.