Urethral cytokine and immune responses in Chlamydia trachomatis-infected males

Penile urethral swabs collected from PCR-confirmed Chlamydia trachomatis-in fected, C. trachomatis-uninfected, and non-C. trachomatis-infected, nongono coccal urethritis-infected males were analyzed for cytokine, total immunogl obulin (Ig), and specific antibody levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent as say. Differential cellular components of the swab transport medium were als o enumerated for the same groups. Although low, the levels of C trachomatis -specific IgA and IgG antibodies and interleukin 8 cytokine were significan tly higher in C. trachomatis-infected individuals. There were no significan t differences in the levels of seven additional cytokines evaluated.