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 7,134 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease of epidemic proportions, infecting an estimated 4 million people a year. It results not only in infertility and ectopic pregnancy but also in infant morbidity and mortality. Ectopic pregnancy is responsible for 11 percent of maternal deaths. About 60 percent of infected women can transmit the bacteria at birth to their infants. Early detection and treatment of chlamydia in both men and women, especially prenatal women, is critical. Chlamydia trachomatis infection of the cervix was found in 8.1 percent of a group of 1,004 pregnant women at a hospital prenatal clinic by means of a direct fluorescent antibody test. The prevalence of C. trachomatis was only 0.7 percent in 277 pregnant women receiving prenatal care from private practitioners. All patients between 27 and 30 weeks gestation who tested positive were treated with oral erythromycin. Their partners were treated with tetracycline. The outcome of pregnancy in patients treated for chlamydial infection was compared with a control group of noninfected mothers from the same population. The frequency of premature rupture of the membranes, prematurity, and low Apgar scores among the treated women were not significantly different from those in the control group. There was a significant difference, however, between the two groups in the incidence of low mean birth weight infants and the presence of meconium. Children can acquire a chlamydial infection at birth from contact with infected cervico-vaginal secretions. If not detected and treated, these infected infants may develop conjunctivitis, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia. It is suggested, therefore, that all patients at prenatal clinics be screened for chlamydial cervicitis. Those testing positive and their partners should be treated.
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PMID:Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in pregnant patients. 191 Jan 82

In recent years considerable progress has been made in understanding chlamydial infections. The spectrum of pediatric Chlamydia trachomatis infection includes neonatal inclusion conjunctivitis, infantile pneumonia, occasional respiratory or genital tract infections in older children and sexually transmitted diseases in adolescents. The role of maternal chlamydial infection in prematurity and in perinatal death is currently an area of active study. We outline the current knowledge of the biologic characteristics of C. trachomatis, the epidemiologic features of chlamydial infection, and the clinical aspects, diagnosis and treatment of neonatal chlamydial infections.
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PMID:Chlamydia trachomatis infections in infants. 264 87

This chapter deals with genital chlamydial infections in pregnancy and postpartum. There is increasing evidence that Chlamydia trachomatis infection may result in a number of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including early and late abortion, intrauterine infections of the fetus, stillbirth, prematurity, premature rupture of the membranes (PROM) and postpartum endometritis. Ectopic pregnancy is commonly associated with a previous tubal chlamydial infection where immunological reactions seem to play a role. C. trachomatis infection may be acquired as an intrauterine infection, as well as during transit through the birth channel, and this may result in neonatal conjunctivitis and/or pneumonia. The role of chlamydial infection in the sudden death syndrome has also been considered, but evidence so far is minimal. Neonatal chlamydial infection may cause life-long sequelae, such as obstructive lung disease. Genital chlamydial infections have been associated with problems in insemination and attempts at in vitro fertilization. The chapter also deals with screening of pregnant women for C. trachomatis and the treatment of infected mothers and their offspring.
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PMID:Influence of infection with Chlamydia trachomatis on pregnancy outcome, infant health and life-long sequelae in infected offspring. 1247 86

Worldwide, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the most common sexually transmitted bacteria. The improved understanding of CT pathophysiology in recent years became possible through DNA amplification technique and genome cloning. This paper updates informations on chlamydial infection in pregnant women, its pathophysiology, diagnostic methods, prevention and treatment. There is increasing evidence that Chlamydia trachomatis infection may result in a number of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including early and late abortion, infection of the foetus, stillbirth, premature rupture of membranes, prematurity and postpartum endometritis. Ectopic pregnancy is often associated with a previous tubal chlamydial infection. C. trachomatis infection in newborns may be acquired during pregnancy or during vaginal delivery, and it may result in neonatal conjunctivitis and/or pneumonia. We discuss benefits of early treatment of chlamydial infections in pregnant women and present guidelines for treatment. Screening should lead to early detection and treatment of men and women with chlamydial infection and thereby reduce the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal infertility and ectopic pregnancy.
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PMID:Is it justifiable to perform screening tests for Chlamydia trachomatis in pregnant women? 1608 73