[Chlamydia peritonitis: a disease of young females]

Serological evidence of recent infection with Chlamydia trachomatis was found in 9 of 11 young women with acute peritonitis or perihepatitis proved by laparoscopy. High antibody titres to chlamydiae without laboratory evidence of gonococcal infection were present in 5 of these 9 patients, while the other 4 had evidence of simultaneous gonococcal infection. C. trachomatis may play an important part in peritoneal inflammation previously attributed only to gonococci.