Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Prevalance of Chlamydia trochomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis infections in the unexplained infertile women

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To prospectively investigate the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Mycoplasma hominis (MH) and Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) in the cervical canal and pouch of Douglas in unexplained infertile women and compare it to healthy controls in the Turkish population.

Materials and methods

A total of 31 women presenting with a history of infertility [n = 24 (77%) primary infertility, n = 7 (23%) secondary infertility] between 20 and 38 years of age and 31 women willing to have tubal ligation between 30 and 41 years of age were consecutively included into this study. Specimens were taken from intra-abdominal washings and from the cervical canal. CT, MH and UU were detected with polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results

Results of 62 women were analyzed. None of the participants met the criteria for salpingitis during laparoscopy. The most common infection in the cervical canal in both groups was UU, which was detected in 13 cases of infertile patients and 11 controls (P = 0.602). Cervical chlamydial and mycoplasmic infection was detected in one case each in infertile and control patients. Neither MH nor UU were obtained from the pouch of Douglas in both groups. Only CT was present in peritoneal fluid of an infertile woman who had also a concomitant chlamydial infection in the cervical canal.

Conclusion

Demonstration of cervical colonization of CT by PCR may be a promising method for the detection of asymptomatic pelvic infection in patients with unexplained infertility. However, screening for MH and UU is not cost-effective due to similar low rates of detection.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abele-Horn M, Wolff C, Dressel P, Zimmermann A, Vahlensieck W, Pfaff F, Ruckdeschel G (1996) Polymerase chain reaction versus culture for detection of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis in the urogenital tract of adults and the respiratory tract of newborns. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 15:595–598

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Arena B, Casares M, Valentine BH, Cooke RP (1993) Evaluation of laparoscopy and cervical swab in the diagnosis of Chlamydia Trochomatis infection of female genital tract. Arch Obstet Gynecol 253:5–7

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1993) Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines. MMWR 42(RR-14):75–78

    Google Scholar 

  4. den Hartog JE, Land JA, Stassen FR, Kessels AG, Bruggeman CA (2005) Serological markers of persistant C. Trachomatis infections in women with tubal factor subfertility. Hum Reprod 20:986–990

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Fedele L, Acaia B, Ricciardiello O, Marchini M, Benzi-Cipelli R (1989) Recovery of Chlamydia trachomatis from the endometria of women with unexplained infertility. J Reprod Med 34:393–396

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Gaudoin M, Rekha P, Morris A, Lynch J, Acharya U (1999) Bacterial vaginosis and past chlamydial infection are strongly and independently associated with tubal infertility but do not affect in vitro fertilization success. Fertil Steril 72:730–732

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Gokral JS, Mania-Pramanik J, Meherji PK, Mali BN (2005) Introital swab testing for Chlamydia Trochomatis in a resource-poor setting: an Indian perspective. Int J Fertil Womens Med 50:140–143

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Gorini G, Milano F, Olliaro P, Regazzetti A, Rondanelli AG (1990) Chlamydia trachomatis infection in primary unexplained infertility. Eur J Epidemiol 6:335–338

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Guven MA, Gunyeli I, Dogan M, Ciragil P, Bakaris S, Gul M (2005) The demographic and behavioural profile of women with cervicitis infected with Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum and the comparison of two medical regimens. Arch Gynecol Obstet 272:197–200

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Hovav Y, Hornstein E, Almagor M, Yaffe C (1998) Diagnostic laparoscopy in primary and secondary infertility. J Assist Reprod Genet 15:535–537

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Jaczek KH (1985) Genital Chlamydia trachomatis: detection, treatment, and patient education. Can Fam Phys 31:1861–1865

    Google Scholar 

  12. Kobayashi Y, Takeuchi H, Kitade M, Kikuchi I, Sato Y, Kinoshita K (2006) Pathological study of Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome evaluated from fallopian tube damage. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 32:280–285

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Korn AP, Hessol N, Padian N, Bolan G, Muzsnai D, Donegan E, Jonte J, Schachter J, Landers DV (1995) Commonly used diagnostic criteria for pelvic inflammatory disease have poor sensitivity for plasma cell endometritis. Sex Transm Dis 22:335–341

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Low N, Egger M, Sterne JA, Harbord RM, Ibrahim F, Lindblom M, Herrmann B (2006) Incidence of severe reproductive tract complications associated with diagnosed genital chlamydial infection: the Uppsala Women’s Cohort Study. Sex Transm Infect 82:212–218

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Marais NF, Wessels PH, Smith MS, Gericke A, Richter A (1991) Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum infections in women. Prevalence, risks and management at a South African infertility clinic. J Reprod Med 36:161–164

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Mardh PA (2004) Tubal factor infertility, with special regard to chlamydial salpingitis. Current Opin Infect Dis 17:49–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Peipert JF, Boardman LA, Sunj CJ (1997) Performance of clinical and laparoscopic criteria for the diagnosis of upper genital tract infection. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol 5:291–296

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Ripa KT, Svensson L, Treharne JD, Westrom L, Mardh PA (1980) Chlamydia trachomatis infection in patients with laparoscopically verified acute salpingitis. Results of isolation and antibody determinations. Am J Obstet Gynecol 138:960–964

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Sellors J, Mahony J, Goldsmith C, Rath D, Mander R, Hunter B, Taylor C, Groves D, Richardson H, Chernesky M (1991) The accuracy of clinical findings and laparoscopy in pelvic inflammatory disease. Am J Obstet Gynecol 164:113–120

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Shibahara H, Fujiwara H, Hirano Y, Suzuki T, Obara H, Takamizawa T, Idei S, Sato I (2001) Usefulness of transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy in investigating infertile women with chlamydia trachamotis infection. Hum Reprod 16:1690–1693

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Thejils H, Rahm VA, Rosen G, Gnarpe H (1987) Correlation between Chlamydia infection and clinical evaluation, vaginal wet smear, and cervical swab test in female adolescents. Am J Obstet Gynecol 157:974–976

    Google Scholar 

  22. Tiitinen A, Surcel HM, Halttunen M, Birkelund S, Bloigu A, Christiansen G, Koskela P, Morrison SG, Morrison RP, Paavonen J (2006) Chlamydia trachomatis and other chlamydial heat shock protein60-spesific antibody and cell-mediated responses predict tubal factor infertility. Hum Reprod 21:1533–1538

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Watson EJ, Templeton A, Russell I, Paavonen J, Mardh PA, Stary A, Pederson BS (2002) The accuracy and efficacy of screening tests for Chlamydia trachomatis: a systematic review. J Med Microbiol 51:1021–1031

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Westrom L (1980) Incidence and prevalence and trends of acute pelvic inflammatory disease and the consequences in industrialized countries. Am J Obstet Gynecol 138:880–892

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey

    Melih A. Guven

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mersin University School of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey

    Umut Dilek, Ozlem Pata & Saffet Dilek

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey

    Pinar Ciragil

  4. Yenisehir Mh., Cumhuriyet Blv., Gunes Apt., #14/18, 46100, Kahramanmaras, Turkey

    Melih A. Guven

Authors
  1. Melih A. Guven
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Umut Dilek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ozlem Pata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Saffet Dilek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Pinar Ciragil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melih A. Guven.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Guven, M.A., Dilek, U., Pata, O. et al. Prevalance of Chlamydia trochomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis infections in the unexplained infertile women. Arch Gynecol Obstet 276, 219–223 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-006-0279-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-006-0279-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation