PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATI S INFECTION IN NEONATES ANDTHEIR PARENTS

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.