Antibodies (IgG and IgM) against large inclusions of
C. trachomatis L-2 and
C. psittaci Izawa strains in the sera collected from 230 male patients with urogenital infections were measured by means of the microplate immunofluorescence antibody technique (MFA). The antibody titers to both antigens in each specimen were determined by the endopoint at which serum dilution gave specific inclusion staining.
When the titer (1: 8 and more) to
C. trachomatis was higher than that to
C. psittaci, the serum was scored as positive, containing antibody to
C. trachomatis. IgM titers over 1: 4 were scored as positive. In 45 cases, the culture method and direct specimen test to detect antigens were performed.
The results were summarized as follows:
1. The antibody (IgM) was detected in the sera from 127 patients (55.2%). These positive cases consisted of gonococcal urethritis (GU) 50% (No. of positive sera/No. of disorders=20/40), nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) 63.9% (53/83), obscure urethritis 75.0% (9/12), cystitis 77.8% (7/9), prostatitis 41.2% (28/68) and epididymitis 55.6% (10/18).
2. Out of 138 positive sera examined for IgG, 30 (21. 4%) possessed IgM antibody, ranging from 4 to 64. The presence of IgM antibody was appeared to be the result from the recent exposure to the pathogen. The IgG and IgM positive rates in the male urogenital infection group were significantly higher than those in the control males.
3.
C. trachomatis was isolated from 17 (37.8%) of 45 male patients, 11 (57.8%) of 19 patients with NGU, 5 (35.7%) of 14 patients with GU, and one (20%) of 5 patients with prostatitis. In 17 (37.8%) of 45 male patients,
C. trachomatis was detected by the direct specimen test (Micro Trak), 14 (73.7%) of 19 patients with NGU and 3 (21.4%) of 14 patients with GU were positive in
C. trachomatis antigens. In the results of isolation and Micro Trak, the negative-coincidence ratio was 85.7% and positive-coincidence ratio was 76.5%. These results were the same as those in other reports.
4. When the relationship between IgG antibody to
C. trachomatis detected by MFA and Chlamydia isolation and/or positive in the Micro Trak tests was examined, several cases were found negative in antibody titer, but antigen positive in the Micro Trak and/or isolation tests.
Two possibilities were considered; one was the absence of antibody in the sera examined and the other was the use of
C. trachomatis L-2 strain as the only antigen in MFA, in which antibodies to certain strains were not detectable. Further examination is needed to explain seronegative case with Chlamydia antigen.
View full abstract