Seroepidemiological Survey of Chlamydia Trachomatis in Patients Attending Pre and Post Natal Clinics in Lagos Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Of the 245 patients screened for the presence of complement fixing antibody to Chlamydia trachomatis, 89 (35.74%) tested positive while 104 (42.5%) of the patients were weakly positive and 4 (1.61%) were non-specific. Age group distribution showed that the highest number of patients testing positive to Chlamydia complement fixing antibody was in the age range of 31-36 year for both males and females while the lowest number of the age range testing positive was between 19-20 and 43-48 years of age for both sexes. One out of 4 umblical cord fluids tested positive along with the mother, father and baby a month after delivery. All males who accompanied their spouses to the clinics were also tested for Chlamydia complement fixing antibody and all the males involved in active cigarette smoking tested positive. The highest antibody titre was in the age range of 31-36 years. There was a four fold rise in antibody titre for nearly all the patients except for a few who had their antibody level dropping, most probably because they were in the convalescence stage. This study concludes that the infection is endemic especially in such a very delicate population as anti-natal patients. This is because of the risk of mother to child transmission.

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