Comparison of laboratory diagnostic methods for urogenital infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis

According to the Russian-Swedish project there was performed a comparison of methods used for Chlamydia trachomatis detection in cervical samples, obtained from 397women and urethral samples from 253 men. All specimens were examined by direct immunofluorescence (DIF), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cell culture (CC). In high-prevalence group (group I) chlamydiae were detected in 17,8% and 28,0% of cases in men and women, respectively. Ingroup II containing patients who were subjected to screening examination, chlamydiae were found in 5% of cases both in men and women. PCR was shown to be the most sensitive when cervical samples in group I and cervical and urethral samples in group II were investigated. When urethral samples in group I were tested, DIF proved to have the highest sensitivity. All the methods used were found to be high specific. The search for standards of genital chlamydial infection diagnosis is in progress.