Epidemiology of genital chlamydial infections in patients with chlamydial conjunctivitis; a retrospective study.

Chlamydial conjunctivitis: prevalence and serovar distribution of Chlamydia trachomatis in adults

“…An association between age and prevalence of infection has also been observed in other studies, indicating that younger age is a proven risk factor for genital C. trachomatis infection (HPA, 2008;Simms et al, 2009). The differences in the age-related prevalence of chlamydial conjunctivitis by gender have also been observed in other studies (Stenberg & Mårdh, 1990;Postema et al, 1996;Quirke & Cullinane, 2008). Genital chlamydial infections show the same correlations, as some surveillance reports have found that the proportion of diagnosed chlamydial infections varied by gender across the age groups and C. trachomatis was detected more commonly among women than among men in the younger age groups (HPA, 2008;Simms et al, 2009).…”

“…Many studies examining the serovar distribution of C. trachomatis in genital samples of different cohorts using genotyping methods have shown that the most frequently observed serovars are E and F (Lysén et al, 2004;Gao et al, 2007;Lima et al, 2007;Kese et al, 2011). The similar distribution of ocular and genital serovars supports the theory that adult chlamydial conjunctivitis infections have a genital source, as has been suggested previously by several studies, and can occur during autoinoculation or transmission from the partner's infected genital secretions (Stenberg & Mårdh, 1991;Garland et al, 1995;Postema et al, 1996). As genital C. trachomatis infections are usually asymptomatic and thus may be left untreated with chronic pathological consequences such as pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility or epididymitis, it is of great value if the ophthalmologists can recognize the aetiological agent of the ocular infection as they may be the first to diagnose this STI.…”

“…In the case of chlamydial conjunctivitis, a suitable treatment would therefore be systemic because of the associated genital infection rendering local treatment insufficient (Haller-Schober & El-Shabrawi, 2002). Clinicians are also recommended to refer the patients and their sexual partners with genital C. trachomatis infection to an STI clinic for further examination (Stenberg & Mårdh, 1990;Postema et al, 1996).…”

“…Neonatal conjunctivitis develops in 20-50 % of babies born to mothers with chlamydial cervical infection (Rours et al, 2008). Adult chlamydial conjunctivitis can develop in sexually active people and up to 80 % of the patients have concurrent genital infection with serovars D-K (Stenberg & Mårdh, 1991;Garland et al, 1995;Postema et al, 1996).…”

Trachoma and Conjunctivitis

“…25 It is thought that eye is infected through transmitting organisms from genital tract secretions by the hands. 27 Conjunctival chlamydial infection can be demonstrated by staining a conjunctival smear with C. trachomatis-specific fluorescent monoclonal antibody, or by the use of commercial nucleic acid-based diagnostic kits. 25 …”