Comparison of common detection methods for chlamydia trachomatis and genital mycoplasmas in cervical infection

ABSTRACT

Genitourinary infections are caused by a large number of diverse microbial agents, in many women with cervicitis, these agents are not detected, even when highly sensitive diagnostic tests are performed. Less urbanized communities have a proportionally higher incidence of urethritis and cervicitis, caused by Chlamydia trachomatic [C. trachomatis]. In addition, mycoplasmas commonly colonize the genital tracts of men and women, and the ability of some species to cause non-gonococcal urethritis and cervicitis has been well established. To detect the prevalence of C. trachomatis, M. hominis and U. urealyticum in cases of cervicitis and to compare different laboratory methods for the diagnosis of these organisms. A total of 50 women suffering from cervicitis were enrolled in this work. To determine the causative agents, PCR, detection of mycoplasmas [Using Mycoplasma IST2 kit] and direct immunofluorescence assay for Chlamydia trachomatis were used. U. urealyticum was isolated from 18 cases [36%], while M. hominis was isolated only from 2 cases [4%]. Besides, 10 cases [20%] were infected by both organisms. U. urealyticum was detected in 5 cases [10%] by multiplex PCR and in 8 cases [16%] by monoplex PCR. M. hominis was detected in 10 cases [20%] both by multiplex as well as by monoplex PCR. C. trachomatis was detected in 3 samples with counts of 16.760, 28.2 and 10 DNA copies/ml using Real Time PCR. However, it was not detected by direct immunofluorescence assay in any of the samples. Mycoplasma IST2 culture was more sensitive for the detection of genital mycoplasmas and Real Time PCR was a better diagnostic test for the detection of C. trachomatis