Chlamydia trachomatis: a major threat to reproduction

Chlamydia trachomatis was first isolated from the female genital tract in 1959 (for review, see Mirdh et al., 1989). Tissue culture technique for the isolation of C trachomatis was developed in 1965. A microimmunofluorescence test for seroepidemiologic studies and serotyping was developed in 1970. The etiologic role of C. trachomatis in uncomplicated and complicated genital infections started to unfold in the late 1960s and early 1970s. By the late 1970s the wide spectrum of clinical manifestations of genital chlamydial infections had already been recognized. In the 1980s major progress has taken place in the molecular biology of C. trachomatis. Several rapid diagnostic tests have been developed and implemented to replace the cumbersome tissue culture. Genital chlamydial infections have now been recognized as the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted infections and a major public health problem. In clinical studies the main focus of the research has turned from acute infections to chronic manifestations of C trachomatis infection, such as subclinical or silent pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), tubal factor infertility, and adverse pregnancy outcome. Other significant complications resulting from C. trachomatis are eye disease and pneumonia in infants born to infected women. The development of safe and effective interventions for prevention and control of chlamydial infections is one of the major challenges health care workers must face in the 1990s. Epidemiology of cblamydial infections