title: Chlamydia trachomatis in fallopian tubes of women undergoing laparoscopy for ectopic pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study whether Chlamydia trachomatis is absent or persists in a latent state in the fallopian tube at the time of laparoscopic salpingectomy for tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP).
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined tissue of the fallopian tubes for the presence of C. trachomatis from women who underwent laparoscopic salpingectomy for EP. Presence or absence of C. trachomatis was assessed using both Probe Tec ET (define Tec and ET please) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Ausdiagnositic STD 6 assays) DNA amplification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fresh tubal tissue from 17 women with histological confirmation of EP was examined in a hospital setting for the presence of C. trachomatis. The presence of C. trachomatis DNA was confirmed by PCR using a commercial test (BD ProbeTec ET System), and a real-time enhanced PCR able to detect few copies of the organism. Chlamydia DNA was detected in 0/16 tubal specimens, and in one case, the PCR analysis was not possible for presence of inhibitors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We did not find any evidence of latent infection of C. trachomatis in the fallopian tube at the time of laparoscopic salpingectomy for EP in our study. Although the numbers are small, our results suggest that EP can be considered a late complication of the tubal damage resulted from a previous acute Chlamydia infection and that EP may not be related to a latent persistence of Chlamydia in the fallopian tube.
authors.affiliation: Acute Gynaecology, Early Pregnancy and Advanced Endosurgery Unit, Sydney Medical School Nepean, Nepean Hospital, University of Sydney, Penrith, Sydney, Australia. nic96@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stamatopoulos
authors.forename: Ishwari
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Casikar
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Bronwen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Branley
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mongelli
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Condous
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000473:pathology*; D011274:Pregnancy, Tubal / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D058994:Salpingectomy / Q000379:methods