The authors cultured 2,320 patients who attended the Denver Metro Health Clinic for Sexually Transmitted Diseases from September 1981 to June 1983 to determine clinical and epidemiologic factors associated with genital chlamydial infection. Among consecutive heterosexual men with urethral discharge, 226 of 849 (27%) had positive urethral cultures, with rates significantly lower among those with profuse (18%) or purulent (19%) discharges, and higher (37%) among those with symptoms for more than seven days. In a subgroup of men without gonococci, those who had polymorphonuclear leukocytes on smear had higher isolation rates (33%) than those who did not (3%). Among consecutive female patients, 172 of 1,031 (17%) had positive cervical cultures, with rates significantly lower in those who were white (13%), married (7%), or using a diaphragm (0 of 77), and higher in those who were positive for Neisseria gonorrhoeae (38%). There was a marginally significant increased rate of chlamydial isolation among oral contraceptive users only for women aged 20 years or younger. Younger age was significantly associated with chlamydial isolation in both men and women after controlling for sexual activity and other factors. Various patient characteristics can be combined to define subgroups of men and women, with rates of isolation ranging from under 4% to over 60%. These results can be useful in deciding whom to test and whom to treat presumptively in a public health setting.
Three infant male baboons were inoculated with a strain of CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS ISOLATED FROM A HUMAN INFANT WITH PNEUMONITIS. One baboon, inoculated by intratracheal, nasopharyngeal, and oropharyngeal seeding, had rales, radiographic evidence of pneumonia, persistent nasopharyngeal C. trachomatis infection, and a four-fold rise in titer of antibody. At sacrifice 24 days after inoculation, nasopharynx, trachea, airways, and lung yielded C. trachomatis, and epithelial inclusions were seen by light and immunofluorescent microscopy. Histopathologic changes noted were nearly identical to those in a lung biopsy specimen from a human infant and pneumonitis and nasopharyngeal C. trachomatis. The second baboon was inoculated by tracheal seeding and maintained nasopharyngeal C. trachomatis until killed 30 days later. Autopsy revealed nasopharyngitis and patchy mild pneumonitis. The third baboon was inoculated by nasopharyngeal seeding and maintained nasopharyngeal C. trachomatis for 49 days. Both of the latter baboons seroconverted. Infant baboons appear to be useful animal models for C. trachomatis nasopharyngitis and pneumonia.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.