SCREENING VOIDED URINE FOR CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS IN ASYMPTOMATIC ADOLESCENT FEMALES

First catch urine (FCU) from 751 asymptomatic adolescent female high s chool students, with sexual debut, were screened for the presence of C hlamydia trachomatis (Group A). The prevalence of C. trachomatis infec tion in Group A was 2.1% (16/751). In Group B, 619 asymptomatic adoles cent females attending a youth and a family planning clinic were scree ned for C. trachomatis by testing FCU and cervical specimens. An enzym e immunoassay (IDEIA-III) was used to detect C. trachomatis vertified by fluorescein-isothianate-conjugated (FITC) monoclonal antibodies. On ly samples positive in both tests were regarded as true positive. The cervical samples from the women in Group B were positive in 7.8% (48/6 19), while the FCU were positive in 6.0% (37/619). Detection of C. tra chomatis by EIA in FCU samples was found useful for screening females for genital chlamydial infection. The prevalence of C. trachomatis in an unselected asymptomatic population was found to be lower than in ag e-matched individuals seeking medical advice in the same coherent area .