use of polymerase chain reaction assay versus cell culture in detecting neonatal chlamydial conjunctivitis

ABSTRACT

One of the most common bacterial infections that causes ophthalmia neonatorum is Chlamydia trachomatis, [C. trachomatis]. Very few studies have been performed in Iran using both cell culture and polymerase chain reaction [PCR] methods to determine the prevalence of C. trachomatis as an etiological agent of ophthalmia neonatorum. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of neonatal chlamydial conjunctivitis [NCC] as diagnosed by both methods in two hospitals in Tehran, Iran. From March 2008 to May 2009, out of 2253 neonates, 241 [10.7%] with clinical findings of conjunctivitis were included in this study. A total of241 conjunctival swabs were tested by cell culture [as the gold standard test], PCR, and Giemsa staining. Cell cultures were positive for C. trachomatis in 31 [12.9%] neonates, C. trachomatis was positive in 40 [16.6%] neonates by PCR and 18 [7.5%] by Giemsa staining. The sensitivity of PCR was 100%, whereas Giemsa staining sensitivity was 58.1%. High sensitivity [100%] and specificity [95.7%] of PCR as compared to culture makes it a proper diagnostic method for the detection of C. trachomatis