Diagnosis of Chlamydia pneumoniae in community-acquired pneumonia in children in Chile.
The incidence of Chlamydia pneumoniae in community-acquired pneumonia in children was studied prospectively in 112 children aged 1 mo to 14 y. Diagnosis of C. pneumoniae was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on nasopharyngeal aspirates and serology by the microimmunofluorescence test on a single serum specimen. Three (2.7%) cases of pneumonia due to this agent were diagnosed by both PCR and serology. C. pneumoniae was not found in any of 62 children below 5 y of age. In the age group 5-8 y, only 1/30 (3%) was found positive, and in the age group 9-14 y, C. pneumoniae was diagnosed in 2/20 (10%) children.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the number of enrolled patients is small, and the diagnostic techniques used may have some limitations, the results of this study suggest that C. pneumoniae.plays a minor role in the aetiology of pneumonia in children less than 9 y of age in our country. However, it should be considered as a potential agent in pneumonia in older children.
Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Programa de Microbiología Santiago, Chile.
M
M
Martínez Tagle
R
R
Kogan
P
P
Rojas
L
L
Rubilar
R
R
Vidal
E
E
Payá
D000293:Adolescent; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002677:Chile; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial