Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis among women with symptoms of lower genital tract infection.

Isolation of chlamydia trachomatis from the endocervix using cyclohexamide-treated McCoy cells were done in order to estimate the prevalence rate of its infection among gynecologic out patients who had symptoms and/or signs of lower genital tract infection. There were 498 patients from May 1989 to July 1990. Eighty-six per cent of these patients were 25 years old or older. Most of them (63%) were agricultural employees. Ninety-three per cent were married and 78 per cent had less than or equal to seven yrs of education. Of 476 specimens, isolation rate of C. trachomatis was 7.8 per cent. Other infectious agents isolated by culture were Niesseria gonorrhea 4.8 per cent (24/497), Candida albicans 15.5 per cent (77/498) and Gardnerella vaginalis 6.08 per cent (303/498). Direct microscopy identified 9.4 per cent (32/380) of Trichomonas vaginalis. Multiple logistic regression analysis was able to identify four significant risk factors independently associated with isolation of C. trachomatis. These factors were N. gonorrheal cervicitis (odds ratio = 5.7, 95%, CI = 1.9, 17.0); age less than 25 yrs (odds ratio = 3.3, 95%, CI = 1.5, 7.4); G. vaginalis vaginitis (odds ratio = 3.0, 95%, CI = 1.3, 7.1) and purulent vaginal discharge (odds ratio = 2.5, 95%, CI = 1.5, 5.5).