[Chlamydia trachomatis infection in females consulting health centres in Maracaibo, Venezuela].
OBJECTIVE
Evaluating Chlamydia trachomatis infection prevalence in a group of symptomatic and asymptomatic females attending gynaecology services in health centres in Maracaibo in the state of Zulia in Venezuela.


METHODS
168 patients attending two health centres in Maracaibo were included in this study. Gynaecological evaluation was based on examining the pelvis, deep areas of the vagina and the cervix. Patients were classified into groups according to age and the presence of clinical manifestations. Two DNA amplification assays of endogenous plasmid and the omp1 gene taken from endocervical swabs were used for investigating C. trachomati.


RESULTS
168 patients were evaluated; 81 (48,2 %) were symptomatic and 87 (51,8 %) asymptomatic, A 7,7 % prevalence (p>0.05) was found in the total population (9,9 % prevalence for symptomatic patients and 5,8 % for asymptomatic ones). The 18- 28 year old patient group exhibited the highest prevalence (13,7 %) (p=0.0322). The predominant clinical manifestations were mucopurulent secretion (35,8 %) and cervicitis (21 %). C. trachomatis was detected in 7,1 % of patients having mucopurulent secretion and 23,5 % of cervicitis cases; however, no significant association between infection and individual clinical manifestations was shown (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Medium C. trachomatis infection prevalence was found In the population being assessed here, the highest frequency being exhibited in young females. This microorganism should be investigated in sexually-active young women, regardless of their symptomatic or asymptomatic status.
Sección de Biología Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Endocrino-Metabólicas Dr. Félix Gómez, Facultad de Medicina, La Universidad del Zulia, Venezuela. narraiz1@yahoo.co
Nailet
N
Arráiz
Rafael
R
Marcucci
Sonia
S
Colina
Francia
F
Reyes
Netxibeth
N
Rondón
Valmore
V
Bermúdez
Nadia
N
Reyna
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D014687:Venezuela / Q000453:epidemiology
D004269:DNA, Bacterial