BACKGROUND: Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis antibody testing in screening for tubal factor subfertility is limited by false negative results, i.e. negative Chlamydia antibody tests in patients with tubal pathology at laparoscopy. The present study was performed to determine whether decline in C. trachomatis IgG antibodies over time is responsible for those false negative results. METHODS: A total of 39 women with an initial titre of > or =64 were re-studied after 4-7 years. A new serum sample was collected from each patient. The initial and the second serum sample were tested for C. trachomatis IgG antibodies using a micro-immunofluorescence assay (MIF). A species-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to validate the MIF test results. All patients filled out a questionnaire to determine risk factors for renewed C. trachomatis infection between the initial and second serum sample. RESULTS: Seven of the 39 patients (18.0%) showed a decline (>2 titre steps) in IgG antibodies by MIF over a period of 4-7 years, but IgG antibodies never became undetectable. In the 7/39 patients who showed a decline by MIF, signal/cut-off values by ELISA did not change. CONCLUSION: A decline in IgG antibody titre is not a significant cause of false negative Chlamydia antibody test results.
BACKGROUND: Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis antibody testing in screening for tubal factor subfertility is limited by false negative results, i.e. negative Chlamydia antibody tests in patients with tubal pathology at laparoscopy. The present study was performed to determine whether decline in C. trachomatis IgG antibodies over time is responsible for those false negative results. METHODS: A total of 39 women with an initial titre of > or =64 were re-studied after 4-7 years. A new serum sample was collected from each patient. The initial and the second serum sample were tested for C. trachomatis IgG antibodies using a micro-immunofluorescence assay (MIF). A species-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to validate the MIF test results. All patients filled out a questionnaire to determine risk factors for renewed C. trachomatis infection between the initial and second serum sample. RESULTS: Seven of the 39 patients (18.0%) showed a decline (>2 titre steps) in IgG antibodies by MIF over a period of 4-7 years, but IgG antibodies never became undetectable. In the 7/39 patients who showed a decline by MIF, signal/cut-off values by ELISA did not change. CONCLUSION: A decline in IgG antibody titre is not a significant cause of false negative Chlamydia antibody test results.
Authors: Ann C Frisse; Jeanne M Marrazzo; Nhial T Tutlam; Courtney A Schreiber; Stephanie B Teal; David K Turok; Jeffrey F Peipert Journal: Am J Obstet Gynecol Date: 2016-12-14 Impact factor: 8.661
Authors: Maira A Castañeda-Avila; Erick Suárez-Pérez; Raúl Bernabe-Dones; Elizabeth R Unger; Gitika Panicker; Ana P Ortiz Journal: P R Health Sci J Date: 2020-03 Impact factor: 0.705
Authors: Roberta B Ness; Caixia Shen; Debra Bass; Carlynn Jackson; Kristen Moysich; Robert Edwards; Robert C Brunham Journal: Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol Date: 2008-12-18
Authors: Stephanie J Migchelsen; Nuno Sepúlveda; Diana L Martin; Gretchen Cooley; Sarah Gwyn; Harry Pickering; Hassan Joof; Pateh Makalo; Robin Bailey; Sarah E Burr; David C W Mabey; Anthony W Solomon; Chrissy H Roberts Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2017-11-08 Impact factor: 4.379