M. Bavastrelli et al., PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATI S INFECTION IN NEONATES ANDTHEIR PARENTS, Rivista italiana di pediatria, 23(5), 1997, pp. 936-939
The purpose of this study was to establish the rate of Chlamydia trach
omatis (Ct) infection in a selected series of newborns and in their pa
rents. Conjunctival and pharyngeal swabs were collected from the neona
tes and from the genital tr-act of some of parents and processed by cu
lture and direct immunofluorescence. From 162 newborns examined 79 (48
.8%) resulted infected by Ct. Out of 28 couples of parents and their 3
0 neonates (4 twins) investigated, Ct was identified in 26 (92.8%). Th
e 2 genitally Ct negative parent couples resulted free of Ct also in t
he conjunction and in the pharynx. 9 out of 30 infected neonates were
born by caesarean section and 2 with intact foetal membranes. The high
prevalence of Ct infection ascertained by us, could be the spy of an
insufficient activity made in our country in preventing sexually trans
mitted diseases among adolescents and young adults.