[Chlamydia trachomatis: significance of endocervical sampling in diagnosis by the Papanicolaou method]

One hundred and sixty-one cervicovaginal smears of women seen at the Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Laboratory I, in Taubaté (SP) were examined cytologically by the Papanicolaou method and by direct immunofluorescence (IF) for Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct). Thirty-three cases (20.5%) had positive results for Ct in the IF. With the Papanicolaou method, those cases presenting fine vacuolation in endocervical metaplastic cells according to recent criteria were suggestive of Ct infection. Compared to IF, the Papanicolaou method showed high sensitivity (91.6%) in the group of smears containing endocervical cells. The IF is a high sensitivity and specificity method, but its cost cannot be afforded by a great portion of our population. In view of the high incidence of Ct infection in the female genital tract, the authors concluded that the Papanicolaou method in smears containing endocervical cells may be considered the first option for the detection of this agent.