title: Follicular fluid antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis and human heat shock protein-60 kDa and infertility in women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to establish the relationship between presence of anti-Chlamydia trachomatis and anti-HSP60 antibodies in serum and follicular fluid of infertile women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum IgG and follicular fluid IgA to Chlamydia trachomatis and human heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) were determined in 41 women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant association was found between presence of bacterial antibodies in serum and IgA anti-HSP60 in follicular fluid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chlamydia trachomatis infection might be triggering an autoimmune process that could negatively affect the success of IVF.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología de Virus, Centro de Microbiología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Apdo. Postal 21827, Caracas 1020-A, Venezuela. paulacorti@cantv.net
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cortiñas
authors.forename: María Gladys
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Carmen Luisa
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Loureiro
authors.forename: Flor Helene
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Pujol
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D018834:Chaperonin 60; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G