Chlamydial endometritis.
Endometrial biopsies were obtained from 32 women with suspected pelvic inflammatory disease, of whom 23 (72%) had histopathological evidence of endometritis. Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from the endometria of nine (39%) women (chlamydia group) but not from the other 14 (non-chlamydia group). Severe plasma cell endometritis and lymphoid follicles with transformed lymphocytes were significantly more common in the chlamydia group than in the non-chlamydia group. This suggests that C trachomatis is an invasive endometrial pathogen which often causes severe inflammation. The association was independent of predisposing factors such as use of intrauterine contraceptive devices.
D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000382:microbiology; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000473:pathology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004716:Endometritis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007434:Intrauterine Devices; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000473:pathology