RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF CHLAMYDIAL RESPIRATORY-INFECTION IN CHILDREN

A study was undertaken to determine the incidence of chlamydial respir atory infection in paediatric patients during a 12-month period by ant igen detection, Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) from 514 patients were screened for genus-specific chlamydia antigen using the Pharmacia Chla mydia enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and Kallestad immunofluorescence (IF) a ssays, EIA screen-positive samples were confirmed by specific blocking antibody, Specimens which were EIA positive or IF positive were cultu red for chlamydia, The NPAs from 7 patients were positive in the EIA a nd IF assays. Four of these patients were culture positive for chlamyd ia. Our results showed that the incidence of chlamydia respiratory inf ection by antigen detection was 1.4% or 0.8% if confirmed by culture.