title: Incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in patients with reactive arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis in patients with reactive arthritis (ReA) within the area of the Podlaskie province (north eastern Poland).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study concerned 323 patients including 132 women and 191 men diagnosed with ReA. The material for C. trachomatis was collected from the urethra in men and the cervical canal in women. Also, every patient was tested for the presence of anti-C. trachomatis IgG class antibodies, while 121 individuals were additionally tested for IgA class antibodies. In the direct studies, the direct immunofluorescence (DIF) method or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used. The immunoenzymatic method was used to detect anti-C. trachomatis antibodies. The control group in the case of direct studies comprised 125 individuals, while in the case of serology research it included 127 (IgG) and 109 (IgA) persons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chlamydia trachomatis infection in the urethral and cervical smears was found in 42 patients (13.0%) including 20 women (15.2%) and 22 men (11.5%). In the control group chlamydia was detected in 3 patients (2.4%) including 4% of women and 2% of men. IgA class antibodies were present in 10/121 (8.3%) patients, similarly in women and in men (8.2% and 8.3% respectively). In the control group the specific IgA class antibodies were found in 3/85 patients (3.5%). Anti-C. trachomatis IgG antibodies were found in 70/323 patients (21.7%), similarly in men and women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chlamydia trachomatis is a common bacterial factor observed in the genitourinary system of patients with ReA. The outcomes of studies within the Podlaskie province indicate less frequent presence of chlamydial infection compared with Dolnośląskie province.No correlations between detecting the presence of C. trachomatis in the urogenital tract and the presence of specific antibodies in the serum of ReA patients were observed.Concurrent direct studies of the urogenital tract and a serological blood test increase the chance of detecting C. trachomatis infection.
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic-Research Centre of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bialystok, Poland; The State Higher School of Computer Science and Business Administration, Institute of Medicine, Lomza, Poland.
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ostaszewska-Puchalska
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Bożena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zdrodowska-Stefanow
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuryliszyn-Moskal
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic-Research Centre of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bułhak-Kozioł
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic-Research Centre of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sokołowska
keywords: Chlamydia trachomatis; direct immunofluorescence; polymerase chain reaction; reactive arthritis