title: A population based seroepidemiological survey of Chlamydia pneumoniae infections in schoolchildren.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Medicine Sciences, UCO Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Trieste and IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dal Molin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Not
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campello
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G