Simona Spiridon *, Adriana Hristea **, Frăguța Predescu ***
* Simona Spiridon – Medic rezident boli infecțioase, lnstitutul Matei Balș
** Adriana Hristea – Medic primar boli infecțioase asistent universitar UMF Carol Davila
*** Frăguța Predescu – Medic rezident medicină internă Spital N. Ch. Lupu
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis is the micro-organism causing the most common sexually transmitted disease in the USA and Europe. Sexually transmitted Chlamydia trachomatis infections are a major cause of pelvic inflammatory disease and its complications (infertility, ectopic pregnancy and chronic abdominal pain). No pathognomonic sign exists and the majority of infected individuals are asymptomatic. Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis results in intracytoplasmic inclusions and the generation of infectious elementary bodies (EBs). Staining of epithelial cells with vital dyes was first used to detect inclusions, but is insensitive and is now practised infrequently following the advent of other, mostly less laborious and often equally, or more sensitive detection systems (staining a smear with a specific fluorescent monoclonal antibody or ELISA to detect EBs). Amplified DNA technology such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and ligase chain reaction (LCR) are highly sensitive and specific in detecting chlamydia! genes in different specimen types such as genital samples as
well as in non-invasive specimens such as urine.