A population based seroepidemiological survey of Chlamydia pneumoniae infections in schoolchildren.
OBJECTIVE
A serosurvey was carried out in schoolchildren from a northeastern area of Italy to define the burden of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection.


METHODS
A sample of 649 schoolchildren underwent a simplified version of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire and IgG and IgA antibodies were investigated using an enzyme immunoassay, followed by a microimmunofluorescence assay in reactive sera.


RESULTS
Of the children examined, 29% and 19.7% had IgG and IgA antibodies, respectively. The IgG prevalence increased with age. No other sociodemographical variable was related to C pneumoniae infection. An association was established between IgA prevalence and previous otitis media.


CONCLUSIONS
A mesoendemic (intermediate between high and low endemic level) pattern of C pneumoniae infection is present in schoolchildren from this area and the prevalence rate is related to age. Moreover, this is the first epidemiological evidence of the role of C pneumoniae in otitis.
Dal Molin
G
G
Department of Public Medicine Sciences, UCO Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Trieste and IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
Longo
B
B
Not
T
T
Poli
A
A
Campello
C
C
D017677:Age Distribution; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000379:methods; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000382:microbiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G