Anti chlamydia trachomatis igg positive. Blood tests for antibodies to chlamydia and their interpretation

General information about the study

Chlamydia trachomatis, IgG, are antibodies (immunoglobulins, immunity factors) that are produced during chlamydia infection.

Chlamydial infection, or chlamydia, is a set of diseases that are caused by microorganisms of the genus Chlamydia.

The life cycle of chlamydia consists of two phases. The first phase is extracellular, when chlamydia is in a spore-like form and is called elementary bodies (they are insensitive to antibiotics). After penetration, chlamydia cells turn into reticular bodies - a biological form that actively reproduces; During this period, chlamydia is sensitive to antibacterial therapy. This feature explains the tendency of this type of infection to have a long-term chronic course.

Diseases in humans are caused by four types of chlamydia, one of them is Chlamydia trachomatis . This species has several varieties (serotypes), each of which is prone to damage to one or another organ. Chlamydia trachomatis infects certain types of cells that line the lining of the urethra, the inside of the cervix in women, the back of the pharynx, the lining of the rectum, the conjunctiva of the eyes, and the respiratory tract of children in the first months of their life.

Chlamydia infection occurs as a result of direct contact of the mucous membranes with the pathogen, usually during unprotected sexual intercourse. Newborns can become infected during the birth canal.

The incubation period from the moment of infection to the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease lasts from 7 to 20 days or more. Sometimes visible signs do not develop. This is either an asymptomatic carriage, or cases where the symptoms of the disease are invisible, but the structures and functions of the tissues are slowly impaired (persistent form of the disease).

In women, chlamydial infection most often occurs in the form of inflammation of the cervical canal, from where it passes into the uterine cavity and fallopian tubes. Inflammation of the fallopian tubes (salpingitis) is the most common complication of chlamydia and can lead to obstruction of the fallopian tubes and ultimately to infertility or tubal (ectopic) pregnancy. The peculiarity of chlamydia of the uterine appendages is the tendency to the absence of specific symptoms of the disease and a long course. In some cases, the infection spreads higher to the abdominal organs.

In men, chlamydia can be present as inflammation of the urethra (urethritis) and vas deferens (epididymitis). Sometimes inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis) occurs.

Between 5 and 20% of pregnant women have a chlamydial infection of the cervical canal. Approximately half of the children born to them become infected during childbirth. Half of infected children develop chlamydial conjunctivitis, and 10% develop pneumonia.

During sexual intercourse, chlamydial infection can cause an acute inflammatory disease - lymphogranuloma venereum. As the disease progresses, the lymph nodes enlarge and the state of health becomes impaired. In the future, complications associated with changes in the genitals and rectum are possible.

Chlamydia infection is accompanied by the production of antibodies (immunoglobulins) in the body: IgM, IgA, IgG. The production of each of them is associated with a certain stage of the infectious process, so that by their appearance and quantity in the blood one can judge the stage of the disease.

IgG antibodies appear 3-4 weeks after the initial infection with chlamydia and continue to be detected throughout the disease, as well as for a long time after recovery. Thus, a positive IgG test result indicates that chlamydia infection occurred at least 3-4 weeks ago.

What is the research used for?

• To determine the stage of the disease with symptoms of chlamydial infection.
• To establish the fact of infection with chlamydia in the past (as to determine the causes of diseases that may be a consequence of chlamydial infection: infertility, ectopic pregnancy).

When is the study scheduled?

• For symptoms of chlamydial infection. In women, this is discharge from the genital tract, burning, itching in the genital area, pain in the lower abdomen. In men - burning when urinating, discharge from the urethra, pain, itching in the genital area.
• If you need to determine the stage of chlamydial infection.
• If it is necessary to establish the fact of infection with chlamydia (for diseases that may be a consequence of chlamydial infection: infertility, ectopic pregnancy.

General information about the study

Chlamydia trachomatis, IgA, are antibodies (immunoglobulins, immunity factors) that are produced during chlamydial infection during the acute period of its development.

Chlamydial infection, or chlamydia, is a set of diseases that are caused by microorganisms of the genus Chlamydia.

The life cycle of chlamydia consists of two phases. The first phase is extracellular, when chlamydia is in a spore-like form and is called elementary bodies (they are insensitive to antibiotics). After penetration, chlamydia cells turn into reticular bodies - a biological form that actively reproduces; During this period, chlamydia is sensitive to antibacterial therapy. This feature explains the tendency of this type of infection to have a long-term chronic course.

Four types of chlamydia cause diseases in humans, one of them is Chlamydia trachomatis . This species has several varieties (serotypes), each of which is prone to damage to one or another organ. Chlamydia trachomatis infects certain types of cells that line the lining of the urethra, the inside of the cervix in women, the back of the pharynx, the lining of the rectum, the conjunctiva of the eyes, and the respiratory tract of children in the first months of their life.

Chlamydia infection occurs as a result of direct contact of the mucous membranes with the pathogen, usually during unprotected sexual intercourse. The child can become infected during the birth canal.

The incubation period from the moment of infection to the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease lasts from 7 to 20 days or more. Sometimes visible signs do not develop. This is either an asymptomatic carriage, or cases where the symptoms of the disease are invisible, but the structures and functions of the tissues are slowly impaired (persistent form of the disease).

In women, chlamydial infection most often occurs in the form of inflammation of the cervical canal, from where it passes into the uterine cavity and fallopian tubes. Inflammation of the fallopian tubes (salpingitis) is the most common complication of chlamydia and can lead to obstruction of the fallopian tubes and ultimately to infertility or tubal (ectopic) pregnancy. A feature of chlamydia of the uterine appendages is the tendency to the absence of specific symptoms of the disease and a long course. In some cases, the infection spreads higher to the abdominal organs.

In men, chlamydia can be present as inflammation of the urethra (urethritis) and vas deferens (epididymitis). In some cases, the prostate gland becomes inflamed (prostatitis).

Between 5 and 20% of pregnant women have a chlamydial infection of the cervical canal. Approximately half of the children born to them become infected during childbirth. Half of infected children develop chlamydial conjunctivitis, and 10% of children develop pneumonia.

During sexual intercourse, chlamydial infection can cause an acute inflammatory disease - lymphogranuloma venereum. As the disease progresses, the lymph nodes enlarge and the state of health becomes impaired. In the future, complications associated with changes in the genitals and rectum may arise.

Chlamydia infection is accompanied by the appearance of antibodies (immunoglobulins) in the body: IgM, IgA, IgG. The production of each of them is associated with a certain stage of the infectious process, so that by their appearance and quantity in the blood one can judge the stage of the disease.

IgA antibodies serve as indicators of acute or exacerbation of chronic infection. They provide local immunity in the mucous membranes, where their maximum concentration is observed. This prevents chlamydia from spreading more widely in the body. IgA is detected in the blood 10-15 days after the initial introduction of Chlamydia trachomatis. Subsequently, after a certain time, their concentration decreases. If the disease becomes chronic, their level remains high for a long time.

What is the research used for?

• To determine the stage of a disease resulting from chlamydia infection that requires immediate treatment.
• To decide on the advisability of antibacterial therapy.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment and decide whether to continue/discontinue treatment (or change it).
• To assess the risk of infection of a child during pregnancy (or childbirth) due to inflammatory disease of the genital organs and/or urinary tract in the mother.

When is the study scheduled?

• For symptoms of chlamydial infection. In women, this is discharge from the genital tract, burning, itching in the genital area, pain in the lower abdomen. In men - burning when urinating, discharge from the urethra, pain, itching in the genital area.
• In combination with other studies to determine the causes of infertility.
• For symptoms of conjunctivitis and/or pneumonia in a newborn.
• When it is necessary to establish the stage of chlamydial infection.
• If during antibiotic therapy it is necessary to determine its effectiveness.
• If during pregnancy an inflammatory disease of the genital organs and urinary tract appears.

Determination method Enzyme immunoassay (the kits use recombinant species-specific Chlamydia trachomatis antigen).

Material under study Blood serum

Class G antibodies to the species-specific antigen of Chlamydia trachomatis. A marker of past or current infection.

They appear 15 - 20 days after Chlamydia trachomatis is introduced into the body. Long-term circulating IgG indicates a previous chlamydial infection. These are specific, highly active antibodies, but they do not provide lasting immunity against chlamydia. IgG persists for several years, sometimes even for life. The IgG titer decreases during healing and the process subsides; during reactivation, the titer increases, sometimes fourfold.

Features of infection. Chlamydia is a bacterial infectious disease of a systemic nature with a predominantly subacute or chronic course. Characterized by damage to the epithelium of the mucous membranes (genital organs, eyes, respiratory system organs).

The infection is transmitted through sexual contact and household contact. The risk group consists of people who practice promiscuity and family members (especially children) infected with chlamydia. The sizes of elementary bodies of C. trachomatis are very small - 0.2 - 0.4 microns. This causes incomplete protection of sexual partners by mechanical means of contraception.

Chlamydia trachomatis exists in two forms: infectious (elementary body) - metabolically weakly active, adapted to exist in the extracellular environment, and vegetative (reticular body) - intracellular form, metabolically active, formed during the reproduction of chlamydia. As a result of the division of reticular bodies inside the cytoplasmic vacuole and their transformation into elementary bodies, up to 1000 new elementary bodies are formed. The development cycle usually ends with the death of the epithelial cell and the release of new elementary bodies from it. Under certain conditions (immunity characteristics, inadequate antibiotic therapy), there is a delay in the maturation of reticular bodies and their transformation into elementary bodies, which leads to a decrease in the expression of the main antigens of Chlamydia trachomatis, a decrease in the immune response and a change in sensitivity to antibiotics. A persistent infection occurs. Reactivation of a persistent infection can occur under the influence of changes in immune or hormonal status, trauma, surgery, or stress.

Intoxication is not typical for chlamydial infection. The outcome of the inflammatory process in chlamydia is thickening of the affected mucous membrane, metaplasia of epithelial cells into stratified squamous epithelium, followed by the growth of scar connective tissue. The latter is believed to be one of the main causes of secondary infertility in men and women as a result of the infectious process of chlamydial etiology. The systemic nature of the lesions (including Reiter's syndrome) is autoimmune in nature and is not associated with bacteremia. The clinical picture of infection, in most cases, is not specific. Manifest forms of chlamydia in men can occur in the form of urethritis, proctitis, conjunctivitis, and pharyngitis. In women - urethritis, cervicitis, proctitis, conjunctivitis, lymphogranuloma venereum. In children - conjunctivitis, pneumonia, otitis media, bronchiolitis.

The greatest diagnostic difficulties are presented by asymptomatic forms. Significant therapeutic problems are associated with complications of chlamydia. These may be: salpingitis, endometritis, ectopic pregnancy, infertility; postpartum endometritis, premature birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, tumors of the urogenital tract - in women; epididymitis, prostatitis, Reiter's syndrome, infertility, rectal strictures - in men.

The commercialization of medicine, difficulties in diagnosing and treating chlamydia, and “sensational” reports in the press give rise to a large amount of speculation regarding this disease. In the city it has become difficult to meet a patient with complaints of a urogenital infection who would not have been diagnosed with chlamydia at some medical center. It has become commonplace for a patient to visit several laboratories and decide to begin treatment based on the preponderance of “positive” or “negative” conclusions. In the treatment of chlamydia, the range of offers is also quite wide: one doctor confidently treats chlamydia with a course of tetracycline, another prescribes treatment for $200. People faced with a diagnosis of chlamydia show a natural desire to learn more about this disease, but often they either cannot obtain the necessary information, or it is very opportunistic. We hear questions from almost every patient: is the information about almost universal infection with chlamydia correct? Are there reliable methods for diagnosing this disease? Is it necessary to be treated for chlamydia? Is it possible to recover from it at all?
The purpose of this brochure is to help the reader understand the “mysterious” disease. We have selected 30 of the most frequently asked questions and tried to answer them from the perspective of modern ideas about chlamydial infection.

Etiology, epidemiology, clinic

What is chlamydia?

Urogenital chlamydia is an infectious disease caused by chlamydia, transmitted primarily through sexual contact, affecting the urogenital tract and other organs, having mild symptoms and a high tendency to become chronic.

Chlamydia has only appeared in recent years, or has it existed before?

Of course, chlamydia existed before, but the ability to diagnose this infection appeared only relatively recently. What was previously called simply “inflammation”, “urethritis”, etc. in a certain percentage of cases it was associated with chlamydial infection. The prevalence of chlamydia in the population does not stand still. In particular, the liberalization of sexual relations, a decrease in the age at which sexual activity begins, and a low culture of using contraceptives contribute to an increase in the number of people infected with chlamydia among the population of a particular region (city, state).

Chlamydia of all types (C. trachomatis, C. psittaci, C. pneumoniae, C. pecorum) found in humans are pathogenic. They are not representatives of the normal human flora. The detection of chlamydia indicates the presence of an infectious process. The absence or erasure of clinical symptoms of the disease is a characteristic sign of chlamydial infection and does not indicate the absence of a pathogenic effect of chlamydia on the body.

C. trachomatis is of the greatest practical interest from a therapeutic point of view, and in the following presentation we will talk specifically about this type of chlamydia.

What is persistence of chlamydia?

Persistence is a long-term association of chlamydia with the host cell, in which chlamydia are in a viable state, but the protective mechanisms of the macroorganism do not allow chlamydia to enter the stage of active growth and reproduction.

What is the prevalence of urogenital chlamydia?

According to the latest data obtained using the most accurate method - polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on a large material, the proportion of chlamydial infection in the general spectrum of urogenital infections is 3-30%. The frequency of detection of chlamydia in gynecological patients is from 20 to 40%. In population screening studies, chlamydia is found in 5-10% of sexually active adults.
According to our data, the frequency of detection of chlamydia in the genitourinary tract in urogenital patients in Bishkek is 16%.

What other diseases can be confused with urogenital chlamydia?

Urogenital tract infections such as ureaplasmosis, mycoplasmosis, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis may have a clinical picture similar to chlamydia.

Is it possible to become infected with chlamydia at the same time as trichomonas, ureaplasma, etc.?

Chlamydia can cause mixed or mixed infections with a number of pathogens (Trichomonas, gonococci, Ureaplasma, Mycoplasma, Gardnerella, etc.). Treatment of mixed infections has certain features, therefore, if chlamydia is detected, it is useful to conduct an examination for the presence of these pathogens.

What is the probability of becoming infected with urogenital chlamydia through sexual contact with a person infected with chlamydia?

The risk of infection is estimated at 60% on average. The probability of infection is determined by:

• virulence of the pathogen strain;
• localization and activity of the infectious process in the patient;
• the state of immunity and genetic predisposition of the partner who had contact with the infected person;
• the presence of other infections that create favorable conditions for infection with chlamydia (trichomoniasis, ureaplasmosis, gonorrhea, etc.);
• in women, the ratio of sex hormones affecting the condition of the vaginal mucosa, cervix and endometrium; Thus, taking hormonal contraceptives increases the likelihood of infection.

The risk of infecting a regular partner is much higher.

How long after exposure to chlamydia infection can symptoms develop?

The incubation period is 1-4 weeks (average 3 weeks). However, obvious manifestations of infection may not develop. In this case, only laboratory diagnostic methods will identify the infection.

How long must pass after infection with chlamydia for laboratory tests to show a positive result?

PCR analysis makes it possible to detect chlamydia 1-3 weeks after infection. Acute-phase antibodies to chlamydia (IgM, IgA) appear in the blood on the 15-20th day, and IgG on the 20-30th day from the moment of infection. Thus, if a month after contact with an infected person laboratory tests give a negative result, we can assume that no infection has occurred.

Is it possible to get chlamydia through non-sexual contact?

There is no consensus on the possibility of infection with C. trachomatis through non-sexual contact. The possibility of a non-sexual route of infection is supported by cases of familial chlamydia, when in a family where the husband and wife are sick with urogenital chlamydia, chlamydia is also found in representatives of the older and younger generations, causing damage to the genitourinary system, respiratory organs (tracheobronchitis, pneumonia), and visual organs (conjunctivitis), joints (arthritis).

How to protect yourself from chlamydia infection?

Casual sexual intercourse plays a major role in the spread of chlamydia. Using a condom during sexual contact with a person infected with chlamydia will prevent infection in most cases. To prevent infection of the newborn during childbirth, antibiotic therapy is necessary in the third trimester of pregnancy. Compliance with the rules of personal hygiene will help to avoid the transmission of chlamydia through household means.

Is it possible to be only a carrier of chlamydial infection, but not be sick?

Chlamydia is asymptomatic in 46% of men and 67% of women. Thus, among people who consider themselves healthy, there are inevitably carriers of chlamydia in whom the infection occurs in a latent form. The absence of clinical manifestations does not mean the absence of harmful effects of chlamydia on the body. Chlamydia causes especially great harm to the reproductive system of women.

What is the mechanism of the pathogenic effect of chlamydia on the body?

The pathogenesis of urogenital chlamydia is based on a slow infectious process, accompanied by the formation of scars on the mucous membrane. If the infection spreads to the fallopian tubes, the scarring process can lead to obstruction of the tubes, which is often the cause of ectopic pregnancy. Another sad consequence of chlamydia can be infertility due to complete blockage of the tubes.

Is chlamydia dangerous for men?

The most common form of chlamydia in men - urethritis - may not cause much inconvenience to the patient, but chlamydia can also cause more serious diseases - inflammation of the epididymis, prostate, joints, which can result in reproductive dysfunction and decreased ability to work.

What are the clinical signs of chlamydia?

Chlamydia primarily affects the cells of the columnar epithelium of the genitourinary tract, respiratory tract, and conjunctiva. Chlamydia is characterized by a blurred clinical picture.

Some of the most frequently occurring symptoms include the following:

• cervicitis:
• specific mucopurulent discharge from the genital tract, without a strong odor, swelling, hyperemia of the cervix;

• urethritis:
• dysuria, itching, scanty discharge;

• salpingitis:
• pain in the lower abdomen, increased leucorrhoea before menstruation, infertility due to obstruction of the tubes;
• chronic prostatitis:
• pain in the perineum, frequent urge and pain when urinating,
• vulvovestibulovaginitis
• in prepubertal girls: frequent urination, itching in the genital tract, discharge;
• chronic recurrent diseases of the upper respiratory system:
• frequent colds with complications and prolonged cough.
• pneumonia
• in newborns: a chronic course without fever with attacks of whooping cough, shortness of breath and cyanosis, developing 4-10 weeks after birth;
• conjunctivitis: in adults
• chronic catarrhal or follicular form with exacerbation 3-4 times a year, often passing without any treatment; in newborns: occurs 5-10 days after birth with an acute or subacute onset in the papillary form with purulent discharge without damage to the cornea;
• Reiter's syndrome: characterized by a triad of symptoms - arthritis, urethritis, conctivitis; develops in men aged 16-35 years; there is a hereditary predisposition;
• mucous discharge from the rectum, anorectal pain;
• inflammation of the epididymis - swelling of the testicles, pain in the scrotum, in case of acute infection - fever.

Diagnostics

What laboratory research methods are used to diagnose chlamydia?

Laboratory methods for diagnosing chlamydia in descending order of accuracy can be arranged in the following sequence: cultural method - polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method - enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) - direct immunofluorescence method (DIF) - immunochromatographic (IC) and enzymatic methods - cytological method.

What laboratory tests are necessary and sufficient to make a diagnosis of chlamydia?

In most cases, it is necessary and sufficient to study by PCR or PIF the material from the site of possible localization of chlamydia (scraping from the urethra, cervix, pharynx, conjunctiva; urine, prostate juice, etc.) and determine the IgG titer in a blood sample from a vein. In the case of fresh acute urethritis or cervicitis, the use of express systems “Chlamigen”, “Chlami-Chek”, etc. is justified. It is advisable to study IgM, IgA in the case of an acute infectious process when IgG gives weakly positive titers.

What does the antibody titer (IgG, IgA and IgM) against chlamydia indicate?

In chronic urogenital chlamydia, moderate IgG titers (1:200 - 1:400), moderate IgA (1:100 - 1:200) and low IgM titers (1:100 and below) are more often observed. High titers of IgM, IgA and low titers of IgG indicate an early stage of the infectious process. The titer value does not always indicate the intensity of the inflammatory process or the stage of the disease. There is an opinion that a high titer of antibodies during urogenital infection has a more favorable prognosis, preventing the spread of infection to the upper parts of the genitourinary system and reducing the risk of infection of the fetus during pregnancy.

Table 11. Level of specific immunoglobulins of various classes at various stages of chlamydial infection

What does an IgG titer of 1:50 indicate?

Such a titer may occur:
during the initial stage of chlamydial infection;
with chlamydial infection against the background of immunodeficiency;
after effective therapy, residual antibody levels;
in case of a nonspecific reaction (no chlamydial infection).
Due to the ambiguity in the interpretation of this result, it is recommended to repeat the analysis after 1-2 weeks or examine the level of IgA, IgM, or perform the analysis using another method (PCR, PIF).

Chlamydia studies performed using different methods have yielded different results. Which analyzes should you trust?

The more accurate the method it is obtained, the more reliable the result. However, opposite results do not always contradict one another. For example, a positive result for PCR and a negative result for antibodies to chlamydia can occur at a very early stage of infection, when the body has not yet begun to produce antibodies in sufficient quantities, or when the immune response is weakened. On the other hand, in the case of ophthalmochlamydia or pulmonary chlamydial infection, a blood test for anti-chlamydial antibodies will give a positive result, but a genitourinary smear test may not reveal the presence of chlamydia.

Treatment

Can chlamydia be cured?

Chlamydia is curable.
Acute forms of chlamydia are easier to treat. In the treatment of chlamydia, it is important to choose the right antibiotic and not violate the prescribed regimen (frequency of administration, duration of course). Failure to comply with these rules contributes to chlamydia developing resistance to this antibiotic and the infection becoming chronic, which is much more difficult to treat. In cases of chronic infection, one course of treatment may not be enough. A second course of treatment is usually carried out two months after the previous course. This interval is necessary for the transition of chlamydia from the inactive form to the reproduction stage.

Is treatment necessary if tests for chlamydia are positive and there are no complaints?

• the presence of clinical symptoms of chlamydia;
• antibody titer (IgG) to chlamydia
• antibody titer (IgM) to chlamydia
• positive result of PCR analysis;
• positive result of mutual fund analysis;
• positive result of rapid tests.

If there is only one positive response, dynamic observation is recommended, followed by laboratory monitoring after 2-3 weeks.

One of the sexual partners was diagnosed with chlamydia. Is it necessary to treat chlamydia for the second partner if he has no complaints?

This is necessary because an untreated partner may represent a reservoir of infection and lead to re-infection of the newly treated partner. Immunity does not develop after suffering from chlamydia. Repeated reinfection can create the illusion of a stubbornly incurable infection.

What antibiotics are most effective against chlamydia?

Antibiotics of the macrolide group have the greatest activity against chlamydia: sumamed, vilprafen, macropen, rovamycin, erythromycin; group of fluoroquinolones: ofloxacin (Zanocin, Tarivid); tetracycline groups: doxycycline. Many doctors believe that to effectively treat chlamydia, a course of antibiotic therapy should be at least 20 days.

Is it enough to use only an antibiotic to treat chlamydia?

Treatment with an antibiotic alone is usually effective for acute, fresh infections. In the case of chronic chlamydia, in which the activity of the immune system is reduced, treatment with an antibiotic alone may not give a positive result. In the case of a mixed infection, for example, when chlamydia is combined with trichomoniasis, treatment of chlamydia should be preceded by the elimination of the accompanying pathogenic flora (trichopolus).

What drugs other than antibiotics are used to treat chlamydia?

The body into which chlamydia trachomatis has entered begins to fight the infection itself, and even before taking medications is started, antibodies of the IgA, IgM or IgG (Lgg) groups are produced in the blood, trying to resist infection. Unfortunately, these immunoglobulins do not have great protective power, so they will not be able to defeat the disease on their own, but the presence of antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis and the amount in titers (IgG 1:10 or 1:20) indicate a specific phase of the infectious process

These markers usually appear in the patient’s body two weeks after the infection entered the body. If, during diagnosis, IgG antibodies to chlamydia trachomatis are detected in a patient, it means that there was an infection in the body, but it is in the distant past, or treatment is taking place now and is quite successful with a decrease in titers. IgG antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis can remain normal in the blood (1:10, 1:20 and up to 1:50) and can be detected during testing for several years after complete recovery.

Submission and interpretation of tests to detect antibodies

IgG antibodies to chlamydia trachomatis can be detected by donating venous blood. The best and fairly reliable study is the ELISA method. The collection of the test material is usually carried out in any laboratory in the morning. No preparatory measures are required from the patient. Doctors only recommend not smoking half an hour before coming to the clinic. Additionally, the attending physician should be informed about the use of antibiotics if treatment is being carried out.

It is incorrect to evaluate test results based on one reading of antibody titers. The course of the disease can only be judged by comparing several diagnostics. Based on the results of IgG antibody titers to chlamydia trachomatis, treatment is prescribed if necessary and the presence of an acute form of chlamydia is determined:

• Antibodies to chlamydia trachomatis IgG (Lgg) ranging from 1:10 to 1:50 - normal or negative result
• Antibodies in the range from 1:50 to 1:60 - questionable result
• Antibodies ranging from 1:60 and above - positive result

Antibodies IgG and Lgg to chl. trachomatis during pregnancy

The greatest danger is posed by chlamydia during pregnancy. Every woman who has ever had a chlamydial infection should be especially attentive to getting tested while carrying a baby. Most often, in such patients who have had the disease, IgG antibodies to chlamydia trachomatis and peculiar Lgg antibodies are found in the blood. Do not be afraid of the presence of this group of immunoglobulins. They are evidence of past treatment.

Lgg antibodies during pregnancy should not exceed the above norms (from 1:10 to 1:50). If pregnancy is complicated by infection, titers will increase. In a fairly short period (2 weeks), antibody levels can increase 2-4 times. This indicates acute chlamydia against the background of other diseases. If any abnormalities are noticed during pregnancy, an additional analysis of the amniotic fluid can be done. As soon as the levels of these antibodies begin to decrease, it means that the disease has responded to treatment and nothing threatens the pregnancy.

If Lgg antibodies to chl. trachomatis was first discovered during pregnancy, there is no need to talk about past infection. Then the doctor recommends taking a blood test to determine group G immunoglobulins for chlamydia trachomatis. Based on two analyses, one can make an accurate conclusion about the degree of threat of the virus to the embryo. If these immunoglobulins are detected in the first trimester of pregnancy, it is worth knowing that the infection was acquired before the fetus was conceived, because the incubation period and the time of antibody formation are taken into account. When antibodies are detected for the first time at a later stage, pregnant women are placed at risk, they are monitored and, if necessary (a constant increase in titers), treatment is prescribed.