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Gynecological Chlamydial infections

Gynäkologische Chlamydia-Infektionen

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Summary

A review is presented of infections in the female genital tract caused byChlamydia trachomatis. C. trachomatis primarily infects the cuboidal epithelium of the cervix. Chlamydial cervicitis is four to six times more common in Europe than gonococcal cervicitis. The infection is sexually transmitted and can cause urethritis in the male, endometritis and salpingitis in the female as well as infections in the neonate. The risk of salpingitis in women with chlamydial cervicitis has been estimated to be about 1:10, i. e. the same as for gonorrhoea. Chlamydial cervicitis is asymptomatic in about half of the culture-positive cases. A correlation between colposcopic follicular cervicitis and the isolation ofC. trachomatis has been reported. Examination of serum specimens for IgG antibody to the organism is of little use for the diagnosis of cervicitis. Treatment with macrolide antibiotics or tetracyclines eradicates the organism.

Zusammenfassung

In einer Übersichtsarbeit werden die durchChlamydia trachomatis verursachten Infektionen des weiblichen Genitaltrakts abgehandelt.C. trachomatis infiziert primär das kubische Epithel der Cervix. In Europa kommt die Chlamydia-Cervicitis vier- bis sechsmal häufiger vor als die Gonokokken-Cervicitis. Die Erkrankung wird sexuell übertragen; beim Mann kann sie eine Urethritis verursachen, bei Frauen Endometritis und Salpingitis, beim Neugeborenen treten ebenfalls Infektionen auf. Wie bei der Gonorrhoe wird bei Frauen mit Chlamydien-Cervicitis ein Salpingitisrisiko von etwa 1:10 angenommen. In ungefähr der Hälfte der Fälle von Chlamydia-Cervicitis mit positiven Kulturen ist der klinische Verlauf asymptomatisch. Über Zusammenhänge zwischen kolposkopisch diagnostizierter follikulärer Cervicitis und der Isolation vonC. trachomatis wurde berichtet. Die Untersuchung des Serum auf Chlamydien IgG Antikörper ist für die Diagnose der Cervicitis wenig hilfreich. Die Eradikation des Erregers gelingt durch Behandlung mit Makrolidantibiotika oder Tetrazyklinen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden

    L. Weström M. D., Ph. D.

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  1. L. Weström M. D., Ph. D.
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Weström, L. Gynecological Chlamydial infections. Infection 10 (Suppl 1), S40–S45 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01640713

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