PREVALENCE OF CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS INFECTION IN A LOW-RISK POPULATION IN HUNGARY

Background and Objective: Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause o f nongonococcal urethritis and cervicitis in women. Because of the rec ent increases in the numbers of new cases and severe consequences, the re is an urgent demand for the introduction of sensitive and specific rapid diagnostic methods. Goal: A multicenter examination involving se ven centers was sponsored by the Hungarian Ministry of Health and welf are in order to provide a survey of Chlamydia trachomatis in the gravi d population. 6,161 women were tested between 1994 to 1995, Study Desi gn: The seven centers were selected with regard to different aspects, from developed and less developed areas in the capital, two large prov incial towns, and various other provincial regions reflecting either a n industrial or an agricultural background, The nucleic acid hybridiza tion method (PACE 2 Gen-Probe, San Diego, CA) was introduced in this l ow-risk population for the examination of Chlamydia trachomatis, In on e center, a further two methods, antigen detection by ELISA (SYVA, CA) and cultivation on the McCoy cell line (staining with SYVA FITC-label ed antichlamydia monoclonal antibody), were applied. Results: Internat ional surveys and experience indicate that the proportion of the popul ation threatened by Chlamydia trachomatis is above 10%, The overall av erage incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis cases in this low-risk gravid population was 5.74%. The data from the different centers ranged betw een 1.6% and 9.7%, The chlamydia-infected Hungarian gravid population is below the critical 10%, but there is one Hungarian county where the value is close to 10%, Conclusions: In this provincial, industrial ar ea, the number of unmarried and divorced gravida in a low economic sit uation is disproportionately high, For this disadvantaged population, permanent Chlamydia trachomatis screening was suggested, In the other centers, screening of pregnant women for Chlamydia trachomatis and the treatment of positive cases and their partners were suggested for pat hological gravida with preterm labor and preterm rupture of the membra nes.