Seroepidemiology of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in a hospital population

The prevalence of antibodies against Chlamydia trachomatis in patients attending the University Hospital of Strasbourg has been studied. Sera from 553 male and 701 female patients for whom age and clinical data were available were from 4 wards (gynecology, urology, internal medicine and rheumatology). Serology was performed using micro-immunofluorescence with C. trachomatis (strain LB1) as antigen and anti human total immunoglobulin. In women with gynecological symptoms prevalence of antibodies titer against C. trachomatis greater than or equal to 64 was higher whether infection was present (46 %) or not (19 %) whilst it was only of 9 % in absence of genital diseases. In men the prevalence of titer greater than or equal to 64 was only moderately increased (12 %) as compared to patients with other symptomatology (9 %). Rheumatological symptoms were associated with a low prevalence of titer greater than or equal to 64. Serology of C. trachomatis infection is interesting mainly for an epidemiological purpose as in most cases it does not differentiate recent or past infections.