Comparison of enzyme immunoassay to polymerase chain reaction essay for diagosis of genital chiamydia trachomatis in chronic prostatitis patients

ABSTRACT

The role of Chiamydia trachomatis as an etiological agent in chronic non bacterial prostatitis is assessed in 70 patients attending the out patient clinic of Dermatology and Venereal Diseases in Zagazig University. Patients were chosen according to past history of chronic prostatitis or symptoms suggestive of prostatitis. Two samples were taken from each patient; the first is uretheral swab which was examined with ELISA to exclude chiamydial uretheritis, and the second is expressed prostatic secretion [ESP], which was subjected to microscopical examination of a wet film, Gram stained smears to exclude any bacteria or parasites, detection of Chiamydia trachomatis using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay test [ELISA]; "Clamydiazyme diagnostic kit", Polymerase Chain Reaction test; PCR AMPLICOR C. trachomatis system, as well as staining of expressed prostatic secretion [EPS] with Giemsa stain. ELISA test has shown that 6 patients out of the 70 patients suffering from non bacterial prostatitis were positive for Chiamydia trachomatis [8.6%]. All positive patients had more than 25 pus cells/HPF. PCR test has confirmed the 6 patients positive by ELISA besides extra 4 patients, totally 10 positive cases, [14%]. Giemsa stain could not detect intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in EPS obtained from the 70 chronic prostatitis patients. Compared to PCR AMPLICOR C. trachomatis system, ELISA has shown high sensitivity [100%], good specificity [94%] and a good positive predictive value. We may recommend the use of ELISA test as a screening test for chronic prostatitis to diagnose cases of non bacterial prostatitis caused by C. trachomatis since it is a simple, relatively rapid technique, and less expensive