Rapid diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis pneumonia in infants.

By utilizing a species specific monoclonal antibody against Chlamydia trachomatis for a direct fluorescent antibody stain, chlamydia organisms were demonstrated in smears of respiratory tract secretions from two infants with pneumonia. C. trachomatis organisms were isolated from tracheo-nasopharyngeal aspirates of both babies and high titer IgM antibodies found in both against the isolated serotype. None of the three diagnostic methods were positive for C. trachomatis in any of the other 39 infants and children to six years of age with pneumonia studied.