title: Chlamydia trachomatis infection as a risk factor for infertility among women in Ghana, West Africa.
abstract: In developing countries, data about the prevalence of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections and their sequelae, especially tubal infertility, is scarce. A prospective case-control study was performed enrolling 439 Ghanaian women. The case group included 191 patients with primary or secondary infertility. The control group consisted of 248 healthy pregnant women. First-void urine samples were investigated by PCR, and serum specimens were tested for C. trachomatis-specific IgG and IgA antibodies. Demographic and behavioral information were gathered for statistical analysis. The PCR prevalence of C. trachomatis was relatively low and did not differ significantly among both groups (2.4 versus 1.6%). In contrast, significantly higher prevalences of specific IgG (39% versus 19%) and IgA (14% versus 3%) antibodies were found among infertile women. The adjusted odds ratios were 2.1 and 2.8, respectively. Our data suggest that previous C. trachomatis infections may contribute to infertility in Ghanaian women.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erlangen, Germany. kaiserschnitt@gmx.de
authors.forename: Jorn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siemer
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Theile
authors.forename: Yaw
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Larbi
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fasching
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Danso
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kreienberg
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Essig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G