CHLAMYDIAL SEROLOGY IN GENITAL INFECTIONS - IMMUNOCOMB VERSUS IPAZYME

The ImmunoComb Chlanmydia trachomatis IgG/lgA (Orgenics, Israel) is a new serologic test using C. trachomatis L2 elementary bodies (Washingt on Research Foundation, Seattle) as antigen. The Ipazyme IgG/lgA test (Savyon, Israel) employs whole cells with C. trachomatis L2 inclusions , i.e. elementary and reticulate bodies. Theoretically, the ImmunoComb is expected to be less cross-reactive (LPS) with Chlamydia pneumoniae than the Ipazyme (LPS and reticulate body group specific antigens). C ompared with the Ipazyme, the ImmunoComb IgA showed both a higher posi tive predictive value (36% versus 25%) and sensitivity (67% versus 33% ) for antigen detection in a control group of 100 post partum women wi th a 6% prevalence of C. trachomatis positive cervical smears. In ster ility patients (45 cases with occluded and 53 with open fallopian tube s) the tube status was predicted by the ImmunoComb (Ipazyme) with 74% (72%) positive predictive value, 87% (80%) sensitivity, and 87% (81%) negative predictive value. IgG/IgA prevalence in 118 patients with C. trachomatis positive cervical smears was 85%/55% for the ImmunoComb an d 84%/49% for the Ipazyme. The ImmunoComb is considerably faster and e asier in handling and less subjective in reading than the Ipazyme.