Chlamydia trachomatis cervical infections in female adolescents

To determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis cervical infection in an urban adolescent population, 100 sexually active female adolescents were screened with endocervical cultures for Chlamydia, in addition to bacterial cultures, Gram stains, wet mounts, and Papanicolau smears. C. trachomatis was isolated from 22% of these patients. Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated from only 3% of this population. No historical or clinical features were specific to those with positive chlamydial cultures, although cervical inflammations was noted more frequently. Treatment with tetracycline or erythromycin produced bacteriologic cure in 95% of culture-positive patients.