Frequency of Chlamydia Trachomatis Infection in Cervical and Urethral samples referred to Ghaem Hospital of Mashhad

Chlamydia trachomatis can contaminate Genital tract and cause a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations in women, which vary from asymptomatic infections to complicated, ascending infections such as pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal infertility and ectopic pregnancy. Also in men, Chlamydia is the most common cause of urethral discharge. Present study was performed with the aim of determining the Chlamydia infection frequency in cervical and urethral samples of women referred to Ghaem Hospital of Mashhad. This descriptive study was carried out on 861 cervical and urethral samples of women having genital tract infection symptoms, who referred to Ghaem hospital of Mashhad during 3 years. Samples were cultured in cyclohexamide treated McCoy cell line and stained by Giemsa method. Samples were evaluated for cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Of all the samples, 588 cases (68.3%) were cervical and 273 cases (31.7%) were urethral samples. 408 cervical samples (69.39%) and 189 urethral samples (69.23%) were positive for Chlamydia in cell culture system. Chlamydia prevalence is very high among samples of patients who refer to laboratories. Considering the role of Chlamydia trachomatis in infertility, all infertile patients should be evaluate for Chlamydia infection at the first step.