Serovar D and E of serogroup B induce highest serological responses in urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infections

Stephan P. Verweij, Esmee Lanjouw, Caroline J. Bax, Koen D. Quint, Paul M. Oostvogel, P. Joep Dorr, Jolein Pleijster, Henry J. C. de Vries, Remco P. H. Peters, Sander Ouburg, Servaas A. Morre*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis is the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide. A strong link between C. trachomatis serogroup/serovar and serological response has been suggested in a previous preliminary study. The aim of the current study was to confirm and strengthen those findings about serological IgG responses in relation to C. trachomatis serogroups and serovars. Methods: The study population (n = 718) consisted of two patient groups with similar characteristics of Dutch STI clinic visitors. We performed genotyping of serovars and used titre based and quantitative commercially available ELISA kits (medac Diagnostika) to determine specific serum IgG levels. Optical density (OD) values generated by both tests were used to calculate the IgG titres (cut-off 1: 50). Analyses were conducted stratified by gender. Results: We observed very significant differences when comparing the median IgG titres of three serogroups, B, C and I: in women for B vs. C: p <0.0001 (median titres B 200 vs. C <50); B vs. I: p <0.0001 (200 vs. 50), and in men for B vs. C: p = 0.0006 (150 vs. <50); B vs. I: p = 0.0001 (150 vs. <50); C vs. I was not significant for both sexes. Serovars D and E of serogroup B had the highest median IgG titres compared to the other serovars in both men and women: 200 and 200 vs.
Original languageEnglish
Article number3
JournalBMC Infectious Diseases
Volume14
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Jan 2014

Keywords

  • Chlamydia trachomatis
  • Serological response
  • Serovar
  • Serogroup
  • IgG
  • Antibodies

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