IMMUNE-RESPONSE TO CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS HEAT-SHOCK PROTEIN IN INFERTILE FEMALE-PATIENTS AND INFLUENCE OF CHLAMYDIA-PNEUMONIAE ANTIBODIES

Citation
Hm. Freidank et al., IMMUNE-RESPONSE TO CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS HEAT-SHOCK PROTEIN IN INFERTILE FEMALE-PATIENTS AND INFLUENCE OF CHLAMYDIA-PNEUMONIAE ANTIBODIES, European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases, 14(12), 1995, pp. 1063-1069
Citations number
29
Categorie Soggetti
Immunology,Microbiology
ISSN journal
09349723
Volume
14
Issue
12
Year of publication
1995
Pages
1063 - 1069
Database
ISI
SICI code
0934-9723(1995)14:12<1063:ITCHPI>2.0.ZU;2-B
Abstract
A total of 446 sera from 245 patients with primary or secondary infert ility, all of whom were examined laparoscopically, 117 patients with C hlamydia trachomatis-positive cervical swabs, and 84 control persons ( 50 obstetric patients and 34 female blood donors) were tested for anti bodies to Chlamydia trachomatis and to Chlamydia pneumoniae with the m icroimmunofluorescence (MIF) test. MIF test antibody rates were highes t in patients with complete tubal occlusion (73 %) and in patients wit h proven Chlamydia trachomatis infection (74 %), whereas only 9 to 10 % of the control group showed Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies. Reacti on to the 60 kDa antigen of Chlamydia trachomatis, a heat-shock protei n (hsp) analogue, has been suggested as a possible marker for the deve lopment of chronic sequelae after Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Imm unoblot analysis of 222 sera (169 infertility patients, 20 antigen-pos itive patients, and 33 mothers) showed a significantly higher anti-hsp antibody rate in patients with complete tubal occlusion than in infer tility patients with normal fallopian tubes (76 % vs. 19 %, p < 0.001) . The presence of antibodies not only to Chlamydia trachomatis but als o to Chlamydia pneumoniae in the MIF test was associated with a signif icantly higher rate of anti-hsp antibodies and with complete tubal occ lusion. This association did not appear to be due to cross-reactivity between Chlamydia pneumoniae and Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies in t he MIF test.