Clinical Background and Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis Antigen among Infertile Women Attending University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis infection is an established cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ectopic pregnancy, chronic pelvic pain and infertility among women. It is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease in the world. The infection is largely asymptomatic.

Aim: The study was carried out to determine the Clinical background as well as detect the Chlamydia trachomatis antigen among infertile women attending University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).

Methods: A survey on the Clinical background and antigens to Chlamydia trachomatis was carried out among infertile and post natal women attending fertility Clinic UMTH. A total of 65 endocervical swab samples were collected from the aforementioned group of subjects within the age of 18-47 years, out of which 45 were collected from infertile women while the remaining 20 were obtained from post-natal women to serve as control subjects. The samples were analysed by using Chlamydia Rapid Test device swab/urine (Abon Biopharm(Hangzhou), Co., Ltd) that work on the principle of immunochromatographic technique.

Results: Highest number of infertility was observed on women within the age of 30-35 years (33.3%). The result shows that those that attained tertiary educational level have the highest number of infertility (60%). The study demonstrated highest number of infertility among female civil servants (53.3%) followed by full-time house wife (33.3%). More infertility was observed among women who are not engaged in the use of contraceptive measures (95.6%). The overall result from this study shows no prevalence (0.0%) of C. trachomatis genital infection among infertile women in UMTH.

Conclusion: Further research using more sensitive and specific procedures for the detection of C. trachomatis from clinical specimens such as nucleic acid amplification tests and cell culture are recommended among infertile women in Borno State, Nigeria.