Seroprevalence of Chlamydia Trachomatis infection in Kashmiri women of reproductive age with mucopurulent cervicitis, infertility and ectopic pregnancy - a hospital based study
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objectives: To find the seroprevalence of the Chlamydia Trachomatis (CT) infection in women who suffer from infertility, mucopurulent cervicitis and ectopic pregnancy and to investigate the possible role of the Chlamydial serology as a screening test by detection of the anti-Chlamydia IgG antibodies using ELISA.Methods: Over period of two years, total of 160 women who attended the gynecology OPD of Government Lalla Ded hospital, Srinagar, were screened for presence of Chlamydia Trachomatis IgG antibodies.Patients were categorized based on clinical diagnosis into 2 groups.Group I: Comprising of 120 patients [40 patients in each sub group.I (a) -Women with mucopurulent cervicitis (MPC); I (b) -Women with infertility; I (c) -Women with ectopic pregnancy.]Group II: Fertile women with no clinical signs and symptoms of mucopurulent cervicitis and no history of ectopic pregnancy and infertility.Venous blood samples from all these women were collected and screened for IgG antibodies to Chlamydia Trachomatis.Results: In our study 32.5% women with mucopurulent cervicitis were positive for CT IgG.In the infertile group, 22.5% of women were positive for Chlamydia IgG antibodies.30% of ectopic pregnancies were positive for Chlamydia Trachomatis IgG.Out of 40 patients who were taken as controls, 7.5% screened positive for Chlamydia IgG antibodies.56.7% of women who were positive for CT IgG antibodies were from rural areas.In our study the overall seroprevalence of Chlamydia Trachomatis was 23.12%.Conclusion: Chlamydia Trachomatis is the most common cause of sexually transmitted bacterial infection worldwide.Our study has shown that significant proportion of Kashmiri women also harbor this infection.So it becomes imperative that health and screening programs be employed to prevent the spread of this infection and its long term residual sequelae in women of childbearing age.Keywords: PID, mucopurulent cervicitis (MPC), Chlamydia Trachomatis IgG.Reproductive tract infections are on rise and have witnessed a growing concern.Asymptomatic reproductive tract infections are often undetected and left untreated and may lead to complications.Genital chlamydia infection is a common sexually transmitted disease and a major cause of infertily and ectopic pregnancies.Chlamydia Trachomatis (CT) is a gram-negative obligate intracellular parasite and is dependent on host cells for survival.It infects columnar epithelial cell and endocervical glandular infection leads to mucopurulent discharge.Chlamydia is the most common cause of sexually transmitted bacterial infection worldwide 1 , with females sharing the major burden of the disease.Recent studies from India have revealed the prevalence of Chlamydia Trachomatis in young females to be 43% in the gynecology OPD and 18.9% in patients with sexually
Source: The New Indian Journal of OBGYN
Authors: Qurat ul Hassan, Samiya Mufti, Samiya Mufti
Institution: University of Kashmir
Language: English
Subfield: Microbiology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4406619348