Colonisation of pregnant and puerperal women and neonates with Chlamydia trachomatis.

Abstract

C. trachomatis was cultured from cervical specimens of 14 (16.1%) of 231 women applying for legal abortion and from 23 (8.7%) of 273 puerperal women. The chlamydial isolation rate was related to the women''s age. Of the pregnant and puerperal women under 20 yr C. trachomatis was isolated in 10 and 24%, respectively; in those aged 20-24 yr the rates were 8.7 and 10.2%, respectively, whereas in those over 24 yr the rates were 4.2% in both groups. Chlamydia were isolated more frequently from cervical specimens than from urethral specimens. If a cervical specimen alone was examined the diagnosis would have been missed in 3 (17%) of 18 women. Ig[immunoglobulin]G anti-chlamydial antibodies (titer .gtoreq. 1/32) were detected by a micro-immunofluorescence test in samples of cord blood from 35 (25%) of 139 infants of the puerperal women. Of the 23 infants born to mothers haboring chlamydia in the cervix C. trachomatis was isolated from the conjuntival folds in 5 (22.5%). The chlamydial isolation rate from the eyes of the neonates was related to the time of sampling. None of the 108 infants examined between 6 and 7 days old was Chlamydia-positive whereas Chlamydia could be recovered from the conjunctival fold of 4 of them when re-examined 3-23 days later.