Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026
09:11
A Human Fallopian Tube Model for Investigation of C. trachomatis Infections
Published on: August 11, 2012
The cytologic features of chlamydial cervicitis
Acta Cytologica
|September 1, 1985
Summary
Diagnosing chlamydial cervicitis is challenging. While cytologic features like inflammation and specific cell types correlate with Chlamydia trachomatis infection, no definitive diagnostic criteria were found.
Area of Science:
- Gynecology
- Microbiology
- Pathology
Background:
- Chlamydial cervicitis is a prevalent and significant infection.
- Established diagnostic cytologic criteria for chlamydial cervicitis are lacking general acceptance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate cytologic changes associated with Chlamydia trachomatis infection.
- To identify potential cytologic predictors for definitive Chlamydia testing.
Main Methods:
- Collected cervical cultures for C. trachomatis from 496 patients.
- Performed Papanicolaou and immunofluorescence staining on cervical smears.
- Correlated Chlamydia culture results with cytologic findings.
Main Results:
- 61 patients (12.3%) tested positive for C. trachomatis.
- Immunofluorescence detected extracellular elementary bodies and intracellular organisms in leukocytes; epithelial inclusions were rare.
- Papanicolaou stain did not stain the organisms.
- Chlamydial infection correlated with inflammation, histiocytes, lymphocytes (especially transformed lymphocytes), and unidentified red-staining bacteria.
Conclusions:
- Cytologic findings such as inflammation and specific cellular elements can suggest Chlamydia trachomatis infection.
- These features may guide decisions for more definitive Chlamydia testing.
- No reliable cytologic criteria were identified for the definitive diagnosis of chlamydial cervicitis.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Sexually Transmitted Infections
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are diseases transmitted primarily through unsafe sexual interactions. Bacteria, viruses, or parasites cause them and can result in severe health complications if untreated.ChlamydiaThe bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for the disease Chlamydia, the most common STI in the United States. This peculiar pathogen requires human cells to reproduce, residing intracellularly. The initial infection often goes unnoticed because it typically does not...
01:29Bacterial Phylum Chlamydiae
The phylum Chlamydiae or Chlamydiota is composed of a single order, Chlamydiales. This phylum consists entirely of obligate intracellular parasites that infect eukaryotic hosts. While human pathogens within this group have been studied extensively, the phylum encompasses many species capable of interacting with various eukaryotic organisms. Members of Chlamydiae are typically small cocci, approximately 0.5 μm in diameter, and exhibit a distinctive developmental cycle. As is characteristic of...
01:27Cytomegalovirus Disease
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is caused by human cytomegalovirus, a double-stranded DNA virus of the Herpesviridae family. While primary CMV infection is often asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, the virus can cause severe disease in neonates and immunocompromised patients. CMV is the most common cause of congenital viral infection in the United States, and a major pathogen in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.CMV is transmitted via bodily fluids, sexual...
01:20Candidiasis
Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...
01:18Trichomoniasis
Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated protozoan parasite and the causative agent of trichomoniasis, one of the most prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infections in the United States. This extracellular parasite primarily colonizes the lower genitourinary tract in women—particularly the vagina—and in men, the urethra and prostate. Its structural and functional adaptations enable its survival, motility, and pathogenicity within the host environment.Structural Features and Host EntryT.
01:24Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features
Chronic bronchitis is a key phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by airway-centered inflammation and mucus overproduction. It develops from long-term exposure to harmful particles or gases, most commonly cigarette smoke, which triggers a persistent inflammatory response.Cellular and Structural ChangesInflammation initially affects the large bronchi and later the smaller airways, with infiltration by immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and...