Detection of chlamydial cervicitis with Papanicolaou-stained smears and cultures in a university student population.
Over a 34-month period, 12,647 Papanicolaou smears were obtained from a student health service outpatient gynecologic population at moderate risk of chlamydial infection. We found 287 (2.3%) to have cytologic features suggestive of chlamydial cervicitis. Chlamydia trachomatis was definitely isolated by endocervical culture in only 4.5% of these 287 subjects. Cytologic features suggestive of chlamydial cervicitis were found to be unreliable in diagnosing chlamydial infection.
D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D013333:Student Health Services; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014626:Vaginal Smears