[Classical and molecular methods for diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infections]

Genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection is the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases in industrial countries, particularly among young people. The consequences of chlamydial infections may involve pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and tubal factor infertility.

Available tests for detection of chlamydia in men and women include culture in tissue culture cells, direct immunofluorescence test, enzyme immune assay, nucelic acid probe hibridization and polymerase chain reaction. Nucleic acid amplification tests use different ribonucleic and deoxyribonucleic acid regions as target molecules for amplifying Chlamydia trachomatis ribonucleic/deoxyribonucleic acid in clinical samples. Nucleic acid amplification tests are more sensitive than non-nucleic acid amplification tests.

Although screening programmes exist in a number of countries, the continuously increasing prevalence of chlamydial infections demonstrates the necessity for defining the best method for the diagnosis and the population for screening.