Association between antibody to the chlamydial heat-shock protein and tubal infertility.
To determine the prevalence of antibody to Chlamydia heat-shock protein 60 (C-hsp60) in women with tubal infertility, an ELISA using purified recombinant C-hsp60 was developed. Antibody to C. trachomatis was present in 32 (72.7%) of 44 women with tubal infertility compared with 9 (32.1%) of 28 with other causes of infertility and 55 (28.9%) of 190 pregnant women (P < .001). Among the seropositive women, antibody to C-hsp60 was present in 26 (81.3%) of 32 women with tubal infertility compared with 0 of 9 with other causes of infertility and 9 (16.4%) of 55 pregnant women (P < .001). The C-hsp60 ELISA detected Chlamydia-associated tubal infertility in infertile women with a sensitivity of 81.3% and a specificity of 97.5%. There is a strong association between antibody response to the C-hsp60 and the development of Chlamydia-associated tubal infertility. Thus, a C-hsp60 ELISA may be useful as a predictor for poor fertility outcome.
Toye
B
B
Department of Medicine (Section of Microbiology), Ottawa General Hospital, Canada.
Laferrière
C
C
Claman
P
P
Jessamine
P
P
Peeling
R
R
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D015984:Causality; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005184:Fallopian Tube Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins