title: Chlamydia trachomatis and HIV infection.
abstract: To study the interactions between Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, we examined CT serologies in sequential serum samples of male homosexuals (MHS), followed over a mean period of 4 years. Of the MHS studied, 77 were HIV(-), 18 were HIV(+) and 10 patients seroconverted during the study period. Seventy matched heterosexual controls were tested concomitantly. CT-specific antibodies of both IgG and IgA isotypes were determined by an immunoperoxidase assay, indicating past and active infection respectively. Anti-CT IgG was frequently observed in both HIV(-) and HIV(+) MHS (40-50% vs. 23% of controls) and IgA antibodies were also common in both MHS groups (15-20% vs. 1.5% of controls). After HIV infection, no increase in CT antibodies occurred. We found serological data suggestive of active CT infection preceding seroconversion in 3 of 10 seroconverters vs. 5% of matched MHS controls who remained HIV(-) (P < 0.025), indicating a possible effect of CT infection on the acquisition of HIV should be further studied.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medicine, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schattner
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hanuka
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sarov
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bentwich
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000276:immunology; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G