[Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in patients treated for infertility]

To determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in patients treated for infertility.

A retrospective analysis.

Fertimed, infertility treatment center, Olomouc.

At Fertimed, we used DNA detection of Chlamydia trachomatis by the PCR method of the company GeneProof to examine, between 2009-2011, 785 women undergoing one of the infertility treatment methods and their 113 partners. In the second group, we examined 121 oocyte donors and 30 men before sperm donation. We appraised the frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis detection in the specific groups and the clinical impact of the infection on the female reproductive organs.

In the group of women treated for infertility, we detected 20 (2.5%) women with an active infection. After treatment, 9 of them underwent an examination of Fallopian tube patency using the UTHL (ultrasonographically guided transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy) method. In 7 cases, we indicated a bilateral salpingectomy due to a sactosalpinx and in one case severe pelvic adhesions were found (88.9%), and in one patient, the result was normal. In the control group of 43 PCR-negative women who were examined for Fallopian tube patency, 9.3% rate of tubal pathology was found (p<0.001). In the oocyte donor group, we detected the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis in 12 (9.9%) women, and in the sperm donor group, in 7.6% men. Treatment with 500 mg of Sumamed (azithromycin), given in 3 doses, was successful in all of the positive patients.

We found that Chlamydia trachomatis detection was lower in the women treated for infertility than in the female donor group. Women with a confirmed infection had a high prevalence of inflammatory changes in the Fallopian tubes compared with women devoid of a confirmed infection. The treatment with azithromycin is effective.