ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the prevalence rate of genital Chlamydial infection among hospital patients and their distribution by age, socio-demographic profile and complications. Methods: 140 obstetric and gynaecological patients from Mandalay General Hospital were studied in November 1993. Cervical swabs were tested with IDEA tm test for Chlamydial antigen and confirmed by Confirmatory IDEA tm Confirmatory test when positive. Data collection was by interview using a structured questionnarie. Results: The overall prevalence rate of genital Chlamydial infection was 6.42
, 5.71
for antenatal and 7.14
for gynaecological patients. Prevalence rate was highest in 30-39 age group and lower occupational grades, and in parity 5 and above, and associated with OCS ever users, PROM, and abortion, PID, infertility,cervical ectopy, cervicitis and mucopurulent discharge in 7.69
, 11.76
, 7.14
, 18.18
, 11.11
and 11.11
respectively. There were 82 patients with no discharge and 7.31
tested positive. Out of 9 infected cases, 6had no discharge and in 4, the cervix looked healthy. There were no associated gonococal infection and there was no false positive result. Conclusion: This study shows the need for being always alert to the possibility of infection even in the asymptomatic patients.