Failure of serology in diagnosing chlamydial infections of the female genital tract.
Chlamydia trachomatis was recoved from 20% (36/180) of women attending a venereal disease clinic. All infected women had chlamydial antibodies in their serum and cervical secretions. However, the background rates of chlamydial antibody in chlamydia-negative women were very high. Measurement of antibodies in serum (complement fixation or immunoglobulin G [IgG] and IgM by microimmunofluorescence) or cervical secretion (IgG, IgM, IgA or secretory IgA classes) did not result in predictive values of greater than 32%. It is concluded that the detection of chlamydial antibodies in serum or cervical secretions cannot be substituted for agent isolation in diagnosing these infections.
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000276:immunology; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M