[Chlamydia trachomatis--detection of inflammatory diseases of the fallopian tubes]

The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in tubal swabs obtained by laparoscopy was investigated in a prospective study. Specimens were collected from women with salpingitis (group 1), tubal infertility (group 2) and from controls, which were considered as being not infected and subjected to laparoscopy for other reasons (group 3). In the period 12/1980-8/1984 chlamydial infection was diagnosed, by means of the McCoy tissue culture method, in group 1 in 19% (16/85), in group 2 in 4% (10/250) and in group 3 in 0% (0/122). In a second period until 6/1985, positive chlamydial cultures were seen in 2% (1/44), 2% (2/110) and 0% (0/75) respectively, however, a simultaneously used IFT (Micro Trak, Syva Merck) was negative in all cases. In the third period until 12/1986, positive chlamydial cultures were obtained in 12% (9/77), 1% (1/137) and 4% (4/90) respectively. The sensitivity of a simultaneously performed EIA (Chlamydiazyme, Abbott) in women with salpingitis was 67%, the specificity was 97%. The EIA seemed to provide an alternative diagnostic method to culture when evaluating tubal specimens. In an additional trial, chlamydial complement fixation test was positive in 26% of a total of 90 women with tubal infertility (and negative tubal culture) vs. 6% in a control group of pregnant females (p less than 0.001). In conclusion, the reported results support the etiologic role of Chlamydia trachomatis as an important agent in salpingitis as well as in tubal infertility.