Circulating antibodies to a conserved epitope of the Chlamydia trachomatis 60 kDa heat shock protein (hsp60) in infertile couples and its relationship to antibodies to C.trachomatis surface antigens and the Escherichia coli and human HSP60.

To evaluate the relationship between immunity to specific regions of the Chlamydia trachomatis 60 kDa heat shock protein (hsp60), autoimmunity to human HSP60 and infertility, sera from 50 women and 45 men seen for an infertility evaluation were tested. Humoral immunity to human HSP60 was detected in 18% of women and 8.9% of men while antibodies to the Escherichia coli hsp60 were detected in 12% of women and 4.4% of men. These differences were not statistically significant. In contrast, antibodies to a synthetic peptide epitope of the chlamydial hsp60, encompassing amino acids 260-271 (chsp 260-271), were present in sera from 16 (32%) of the women but in only six (13.3%) of the men (P=0.03). Antibodies to chsp 260-271 were present in 11 out of 17 (64.7%) individuals with high titre (>1:160) immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibody to C.trachomatis surface antigens as opposed to only two out of 15 (13.3%) with low titre antibody and two out of of 17 (11.8%) with undetectable chlamydial antibody (P < 0.004). Antibodies to chsp 260-271 were also associated with humoral immunity to human HSP60. 50% of sera with, as opposed to only 18.6% of sera without, anti-human HSP60 IgG were positive for antibodies to chsp 260-271 (P=0.03). In contrast, there was no relationship found between immunity to the E.coli hsp60 and antibodies to human HSP60. Antibodies to chsp 260-271 were more prevalent in women with at least two spontaneous abortions (eight out of 13, 61.5%) than in women with other infertility diagnoses (six out of 35, 17.1%) (P=0.004). Thus, immunity to chsp 260-271 is more prevalent in women than in men, associated with autoimmunity to human HSP60 and may be an immunological marker for spontaneous abortion.

[Bacteriological cultures by laparoscopy in salpingitis (author's transl)]. / Etude bactériologique des prélèvements per-coelioscopiques dans les annexites aiguës. Flore aérobie-anaérobie.

Out of a series of 50 salpingitis, we have made bacteriological swabs of tubes and peritoneum in 37 cases (25 cases by laparoscopy and 2 cases by laparotomy). 27 women had received no antibiotic treatment before swabbing: bacteriological culture was positive in 14 cases and gram Stain positive in 15 cases: thus we had either a complete study, either a "good idea" of pathological flora in 20 cases out of 27. 10 women received some antibiotic treatment before swabbing: bacteriological culture was positive in 2 cases, gram stain positive in 3 cases. We had idea of pathological flora in 4 cases out of 10. Tubal cultures show either a one-agent infection (gonococcus, E. Coli or anaerobic agent) either a various aero-anaerobic flora. In 18 cases we could compare abdominal flora and low genital tract flora: results were identical in half of cases only (7 cases on 18). Gonococcus was cultured either in women with P.I.D. either in their partner's genital tract, in 11 cases on 37. Both cultures and gram stain were negatives in 13 cases: in these cases, we could perhaps incriminate either a supplement requiring bacterie, either other micro-organisms (chlamydia trachomatis or Mycoplasma) which will be studied in a further series (to be published).