Fenner T, Fenner I, Hoffmann A, Schrappe M, Albig S, Rascot H, Schmitz H; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1992 Jul 19-24; 8: 78 (abstract no. PuB 7178).
Bernhard-Nocht-Institut for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, FRG.
OBJECTIVES: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect Chlamydia trachomatis in synovial fluid of five HIV-1 positive patients with acute arthritis and multiple tumefactions of different localization. Treatment with doxycycline or Erythromycin was started after needle puncture of synovial fluid was done. Chlamydia specific IgG and IgA antibodies were analyzed. Urethral swabs for Chlamydia-IFT were taken from all these patients. As control group 10 HIV-1 negative patients with acute inflammatory arthritis and with negative Chlamydia IgG and IgA antibody-titer and negative urethral swabs were used. METHODS: A highly sensitive and specific Chlamydia trachomatis PCR was modified and used to detect Chlamydia also in synovial fluids. Therefore this is the first description of a Chlamydia PCR from samples of synovial fluid. The samples were collected by needle puncture of the inflammatory joint or by arthroscopy. Detection of specific antibodies and antigen was done in the blood samples and the synovial fluid of all patients by commercial available test. RESULTS: All patients of the control group showed negative PCR, IFT, urethral and Chlamydia- IgG/IgA antibody results. Two of five synovial fluid samples from the HIV-1 positive patients were PCR positive but IFT negative. The urethral swabs of these two patients were also negative. Chlamydia- IgA and IgG antibodies were detectable in one of these cases. Three patients were PCR, IFT and urethral swab negative, IgA and IgG was detectable in just one PCR negative patient. One patient showed IgG antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: Chlamydia trachomatis genome can be detected by PCR in AIDS patients with acute inflammatory arthritis. Other diagnostical parameters can be negative in these cases. The PCR can be used to differential between Chlamydia trachomatis as pathogenic organism of the acute arthritis and other possible organisms. To decide the further way of treatment, PCR results may be helpful. A study with more HIV-1 positive patients with acute arthritis should be done to support these datas and statement.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Antigens, Bacterial
- Arthritis
- Arthritis, Reactive
- Chlamydia Infections
- Chlamydia trachomatis
- DNA Primers
- HIV-1
- Humans
- Male
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Specimen Handling
- Synovial Fluid
- Urethra
- immunology
Other ID:
UI: 102202173
From Meeting Abstracts