CHLAMYDIAL ETIOLOGY OF ACUTE LOWER RESPIRATORY-TRACT INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN IN THE SUDAN

The role of Chlamydia pneumoniae in 110 Sudanese children with signs o f acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRI) was investigated. Fo ur (3.6%) had evidence of C. pneumoniae infection, of whom 3 w ere cul ture-positive, while 1 had an antibody response suggesting a recent in fection. IgG antibodies at a titer of greater than or equal to 1:32 to C. pneumoniae, Clamydia psittaci and Chlamydia trachomatis were detec ted in 27 (24.5%), 27 (24.5%) and 7 (6.4%) of the 110 ALRI cases, resp ectively. C. pneumoniae, C. trachomatis or C. psittaci were not detect ed in nasopharyngeal secretions from any of 110 patients when fluoresc ence-labeled specific monoclonal antibodies were used. In a seroepidem iological survey, 318 healthy Sudanese persons aged between 1 month an d 67 years were studied for C. pneumoniae antibodies.