Background & objectives: Chlamydia trachomatis is a well recognized sexually transmitted pathogen. Besides its potential to produce genital tract infection, C. trachomatis is increasingly being associated with long-term complications like infertility. The present study was undertaken to assess the role of C. trachomatis in female infertility .
Methods: Women of primary and secondary infertility (n=150) and 20 healthy term pregnant
women as control group were enrolled in the study. Detailed clinical history of each patient was
recorded. Hysterosalpingography was performed in all patients. Endocervical swabs were
collected for culture on cycloheximide treated McCoy cell line and for antigen detection by Blocking assay antibody technique .
Results: C. trachomatis was detected in 48 (32%) of the 150 infertile women while 3 (15%) in
control group was positive for C. trachomatis (P<0.02). Among the total 48 (32%) infertile Chlamydia positive cases, C. trachomatis was detected by both cell culture and EIA, in 22 (45.8%), 14 cases (29.5%) were positive for C. trachomatis by cell culture alone and in 12 (25 %) only antigen could be detected.Chlamydial positivity was seen in 22(24.2%)women with primary infertility and in 26(44.1%)with secondary infertility.
Conclusion: A significantly high rate of C. trachomatis infection was found in
infertile women and more so in asymptomatic females and in secondary infertility cases. Lack
of symptoms make clinical diagnosis of chlamydial infection difficult. Screening of infertile
women for C. trachomatis is therefore recommended so far early therapeutic interventions.