Streptococcus agalactiae and Chlamydia trachomatis detection in women without symptoms of infection.

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) and Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) may be present in the female cervical canal without any symptoms of infection. Chronic chlamydial infections lead to many serious complications and perinatal infections, while the presence of GBS is a reservoir for infections of newborns or invasive streptococcal infection in adults. OBJECTIVES: To examine healthy women for C. trachomatis without symptoms from the reproductive system, assess the frequency of asymptomatic infections, detect GBS in the cervical canal, demonstrate differences in drug susceptibility, and determine the serotype of S. agalactiae strains and correlations among the ones present in the cervical canal. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 315 cervical swabs were collected for genetic and microbiological analysis for the presence of C. trachomatis and S. agalactiae. Latex and diffusion-disk methods were used to determine the serotype and susceptibility of streptococci. RESULTS: Ten out of 315 women (3.2%) were C. trachomatis-positive. Using traditional methods of microscopy, culture and serology, 42 strains (13.3% of the subjects) obtained from patients were identified as S. agalactiae and further analyzed. The most common serotypes identified were II (18/42, 42.9%), V (11/42, 26.2%) and III (10/42, 23.8%). The less common serotypes found were VII (2/10, 4.8%), and Ib (1/10, 2.4%); no Ia, IV or VII serotypes were found. All the strains were susceptible to penicillin, while 71.4% of them were susceptible to erythromycin and 81.0% were susceptible to clindamycin. Seven isolates (16.7%) were concomitantly resistant to erythromycin and clindamycin. CONCLUSIONS: Chlamydia trachomatis was confirmed in 3.2% of the respondents, and GBS was found in 13.3%, despite a lack of symptoms of infection. The incidence of C. trachomatis infections and GBS colonization in Poland is similar to those in other European countries.

The use of direct immunofluorescence and nested polymerase chain reaction in diagnosing perinatal infections of Chlamydia trachomatis.

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia infection is the most frequently reported infectious, sexually transmitted disease (STD). Generally, Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) infection of neonates is the result of perinatal exposure to the mother's infected cervix. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to estimate the frequency of infection caused by C. trachomatis in newborn infants. In this study of C. trachomatis perinatal infection, 107 infants born at the Wroclaw Medical University Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics (Poland) were tested to investigate whether C. trachomatis was present in swabs taken from the eyes and throats of children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Each specimen was tested using the direct immunofluorescence test (DIF) and the nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. RESULTS: The presence of C. trachomatis, irrespective of the origin of the swabs (ocular or from the throat), was confirmed in 62 newborns, amounting to 57.6% of the tested population. The occurrence of C. trachomatis in ocular swabs was confirmed in 35 children (32.7%). In the material taken from the throat, there were 48 newborns considered chlamydia-positive (44.9%). In the specimens taken from both the ocular and pharyngeal locations, there was a higher proportion of positive results while using the nested-PCR method in comparison to the DIF test. The specificity of the DIF method with reference to the nested-PCR was 67.9% for ocular swabs. In the material taken from the throat, the sensitivity of the DIF method with reference to the nested-PCR was 75.0% and the specificity was 62.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the importance of perinatal infections, it is recommended to perform a study among a larger group of patients in order to gain more reliable results.

PCR diagnostics of Chlamydia trachomatis in asymptomatic infection by women.

OBJECTIVES: Chlamydial infection is often asymptomatic. The lack of symptoms may result in the infection developing into a chronic. Chlamydial infections of the genitourinary system in women can lead to serious complications like PID, fallopian tubes infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. An infection of the genitourinary system does not cause any lasting immune resistance and does not protect against re-infection. The aim of this research was to conduct tests for Chlamydia trachomatis on healthy women without any genital system symptoms and to estimate the frequency of asymptomatic infections. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During preventive examinations a cervical smear was obtained from the patients n = 100. The aver-age age of the patients was 24.86 ± 3.15. The swabs were sampled by gynecologists. During the examinations Geneproof PathogenFree DNA isolation Kit and GeneProof Chlamydia trachomatis PCR kit which detects 16S rRNA conservative coding sequence, conservative region of cryptic plasmid DNA, including deletion mutation in cryptic plasmid (Swedish variant). RESULTS: Swabs were sampled from 100 women aged 18-32 who had no symptoms of chlamydial genitourinary system infection. Within the study group 4% of women received a positive result, i.e. 4/100. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirmed asymptotic infection in 4% of women. In own research it was not possible to confirm cor-relation between the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis and the number of partners or the number of sexual intercourses.

Detection of Salmonella in Foods Using a Reference PN-ISO Method and an Alternative Method Based on Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification Coupled with Bioluminescence.

BACKGROUND: Salmonella, one of the primary indicators of food safety, is a common cause of food poisoning of an epidemic nature around the world. These microorganisms can colonize the gastrointestinal tract of both people and animals, and next contaminate not only eggs, milk, meat and dairy products, but also vegetables, fruit, grains and even spices. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency of detection of Salmonella spp. in food samples using a reference PN-ISO method and an alternative method based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) coupled with bioluminescence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Food samples were obtained in cooperation with the State Sanitary-Epidemiological Station in Wroclaw. Dairy products, meat, fish, pastry and confectionery, vegetables, herbs and spices were analyzed. The food samples were examined using a standard culturing method according to PN-ISO 6579:2003 for Salmonella spp. and an alternative method based on the isothermal amplification and bioluminescence phenomenon using the 3M MDS device. RESULTS: In 399 tested food samples in 8 materials, using both the reference and the alternative LAMP-based method, the presence of salmonella was confirmed. The results obtained show the 100% sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the presented alternative, LAMP-based technique compared to the reference PN-ISO method. CONCLUSIONS: The alternative method using isothermal amplification and bioluminescence makes it possible to detect Salmonella in foods in a much shorter time than the referential culturing method.

Diagnosing Chlamydia Trachomatis Urinary Tract Infections--Preliminary Report.

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis is mentioned among the etiologic factors for urinary tract infections. Chlamydias are parasites inside a cell. A very significant problem of C. trachomatis infections is their asymptomatic character. The most frequent infections caused by these bacteria are inflammations of the urethra and bladder; of the vagina, cervix, vaginal cavity and adnexa in women; and of the epididymis, testicles and prostate in men. In the diagnosis of C. trachomatis infections, the following methods are used: immunofluorescent techniques, immunoenzymatic assays, serological examinations and genetic techniques (for example PCR). OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to detect C. trachomatis among patients with symptoms of non-gonorrheal urethritis using diagnostic serologic methods and direct immunofluorescence. The purpose was to assess the connection between the incidence of urinary tract infections caused by C. trachomatis and symptoms that patients report as well as other data from interviews. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Blood serum and urethral smears were taken from each of 57 patients. The ELISA method was used to mark specific IgG and IgGcHSP60 anti-chlamydia antibodies in the blood serum. In the urethral smear, antigens were marked using the direct immunofluorescence method. RESULTS: Evidence for urinary tract infection caused by C. trachomatis was found in 15.79% of the examined patients using the immunofluorescence method. In the blood serum, positive results for IgGcHSP60 were obtained in 17.54% of the patients and for IgG in 8.77%. CONCLUSIONS: The studies carried out so far suggest that C. trachomatis has a significant role in the etiology of urethritis in adults and children. Other serological tests should be conducted in all the patients in order to study the immune responses in infected individuals and to confirm C. trachomatis infection using genetic methods such as PCR.

[Chlamydia pneumoniae occurrence in children with adenoid vegetations]. / Wystepowanie Chlamydia pneumoniae u dzieci poddawanych adenotomii.

INTRODUCTION: In world literature there is a lack on informations about occurrence frequency of Chlamydia pneumoniae in swabs fromadenoid vegetations. Chlamydia spp. is a group of nontypical pathogenetic bacteria. Initially they were fought a cause of lower respiratory tract. Nowadays they are considered as a pathogenetic factor of upper respiratory tract infections. They can also cause persistant infection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During 3,5 months at the end of winter and bigining of spring, 110 children qualified to adenotomy (53 girls and 57 boys) were examinated. The average of age carried out 6,11 years. RESULTS: the positive results of direct immunophluorescence test (IFA) of adenoid vegetations swabs were received in 29 children (26.4%). Received results demonstrate chronic infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae. Pneumonia or bronchitis was noted additionally at 3 children (2.7%) in this in one child pneumonia caused by C. pneumoniae was diagnosed, secretory otitis media was diagnosed in 5 children (4,5%), asthma in 3 patients (2,7%). Confirmed infection Chlamydia pneumoniae occurred earlier at 5 children (4.5%). CONCLUSION: Results of direct immunophluorescence test(IFA) of adenoid vegetations swabs do not correlate directly with levels of anty-C. pneumoniae antybodies in blood. But antybody level could be supplementary to clinical symptoms and and swab result or give us information about infection history in patient.

[The role of diagnostic tests in the identification of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in reactive arthritis]. / Rola badan diagnostycznych w identyfikacji zakazen Chlamydia trachomatis w reaktywnych zapaleniach stawów.

UNLABELLED: Reactive arthritis (ReA) is a sterile inflammation of the synovial membrane of one or more joints developing after urogenital or gastro-intestinal infection. The syndrome most frequently follows infection with Chlamydia trachomatis. Useful for the diagnosis can be the serological tests. At present there is the possibility to identify the specific antibodies (IgG, IgA, IgM) to Chlamydia trachomatis. The subject of the study was the group of 87 patients in age 19-78; 58 women and 29 men from whom urogenital smear and serum were tested. The control group were 30 people age 25-70 without rheumatological disorders. Chlamydia trachomatis was found in urogenital smear in 42 (48%), in 56 (64%) patients immunoglobulin IgG were positive, and immunoglobulin IgA in 16 (18%). The laboratory tests and clinical symptoms allow to make a diagnosis of ReA in 38 (43%) and possible ReA in 5 (5.7%) of patients. CONCLUSIONS: 1. There is no gold standard for the diagnosis of ReA. 2. None of the tests or the clinical symptoms alone are strong enough to make a definite diagnosis of ReA. 3. Tests to identify Chlamydia trachomatis, with respect of typical clinical symptoms are useful the diagnosis of ReA. 4. The diagnosis of ReA is most probable if we have typical clinical symptoms, clinical evidence of a preceding infection plus a positive result of serology or PCR plus positivity for HLA-B27.

[The influence of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection on acute coronary syndromes]. / Ostre zespoly wiencowe a zakazenia Chlamydia pneumoniae.

UNLABELLED: Chlamydia pneumoniae is one of the infectious factors the role of which is considered in the process of atherosclerosis and its complications. THE AIM: Of the study was to assess the incidence of Ch. pneumoniae infection in the patients with acute coronary events. The study was carried out in 36 patients, mean age 61.2 +/- 13.4 years, 27 men and 9 women hospitalised in our Department with the diagnosis of previous or recent acute myocardial infarction. The control group consisted of 19 subjects, aged 61.1 +/- 14.3 years, 10 men and 9 women hospitalised due to other reasons. In all studied patients during the first 24 hours venous blood was taken for the assessment of fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations and titres of IgA and IgG anti-Ch. pneumoniae antibodies, and pharyngeal swabs were done for Ch. pneumoniae assessment. RESULTS: Positive swab tests were found in 19% of the patients, positive IgG titres in 80% and IgA in 64% of the patients. In the control group the corresponding values were 11, 79, 42%, respectively. In the patients with positive IgG titres, negative IgA titre result was observed in 21% and in the control group in 53% (p < 0.05). The CRP level was significantly higher in the studied patients than in the control group (24.2 vs 4.2 mg/l; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 1. The high percentage of positive serologic tests and rare positive results of pharyngeal swabs indicate a frequent contact with Ch. pneumoniae in human population. 2. Ch. pneumoniae infection exerts no significant influence on the unspecific markers of inflammation. 3. The higher frequency of seroconversion-positive IgG and negative IgA titres--in the control group indicates the role of prolonged or acute Ch. pneumoniae infection in the development or progression of coronary atherosclerosis and its complications.