EPIDEMIOLOGY OF GENITAL CHLAMYDIAL INFECTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH CHLAMYDIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Objective: To determine how often chlamydial conjunctivitis is accompa nied by a genital chlamydial infection and if there is a correlation b etween the dominant hand and the eye first infected. Methods: We retro spectively studied the records of 65 patients with chlamydial conjunct ivitis who were referred to the Outpatient Department of Sexually Tran smitted Diseases (STD) of the University Hospital Rotterdam by ophthal mologists of the Eye Hospital Rotterdam. The patients have recently be en asked by letter if they were left- or right-handed. Results: Twenty of the 37 men (54%) had a positive chlamydial urethral culture. Seven ty per cent of these men had no genital symptoms. Eight of the 37 men (22%) had a non-specific urethritis (NSU). Twenty of the 27 women exam ined (74%) had a positive chlamydial cervical culture. Sixty per cent of these women had no genital symptoms. Eight women with a genital chl amydial infection also had another genital infection. Five women witho ut a genital chlamydial infection had another genital infection. Two w omen had no genital infection at all. A correlation between the eye in fected and left- or right-handedness of the patient could not be found . Conclusions: A considerable percentage of the patients with a chlamy dial conjunctivitis had a concomitant genital chlamydial infection. Th e majority of them had no genital symptoms. Since patients with chlamy dial conjunctivitis and/or their partners possibly have a concomitant genital chlamydial infection, we recommend referral of both patients a nd sexual partners to an STD clinic for routine examination and system ic treatment when indicated.