[Chlamydia trachomatis--studies on the reliability of its detection in Papanicolaou preparations]

In a matched group of 104 chlamydia culture-positive and 104 culture-negative women, the correlation between simultaneous cultures and cytological findings in the Papanicolaou smear was studied. Cellular changes in metaplastic cells that are described in the literature as being specific for Chlamydia trachomatis, were not associated with genital chlamydial infection. In particular the reported high sensitivity of intracytoplasmatic inclusion bodies could not be confirmed. Likewise, even severe inflammatory changes and a high concentration of lymphocytes were also no reliable diagnostic indicator. The authors conclude that the Papanicolaou smear is not useful as a routine screening method for genital chlamydial infection.