Screening of <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> and <i>Waddlia chondrophila</i> Antibodies in Women with Tubal Factor Infertility
2020
Wies T.M. van Dooremalen | Stephan P. Verweij | Janneke E. den Hartog | Carole Kebbi-Beghdadi | Sander Ouburg | Gilbert Greub | Servaas A. Morré | Anne Ammerdorffer
<i>Waddlia chondrophila</i> is an emerging intracellular pathogen belonging to the order of <i>Chlamydiales</i>, and was previously associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, as well as tubal factor infertility (TFI). In this study, we investigate the link between both <i>W. chondrophila</i> and <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> IgG seropositivity and TFI. Antibodies against both bacteria were measured in 890 serum samples of women visiting a fertility clinic. After a hysterosalpingography and/or laparoscopy, they were classified as either TFI-negative (TFI−) or TFI-positive (TFI+). The total seroprevalence was 13.4% for <i>C. trachomatis</i> and 38.8% for <i>W. chondrophila</i>. <i>C. trachomatis</i> antibodies were present significantly more often in the TFI+ group than in the TFI− group, while for <i>W. chondrophila</i> no difference could be observed. In conclusion, our study confirms the association between <i>C. trachomatis</i> seropositivity and TFI, but no association was found between <i>W. chondrophila</i> seropositivity and TFI. The high percentage of <i>W. chondrophila</i> seropositivity in all women attending a fertility clinic does, however, demonstrate the need for further research on this <i>Chlamydia</i>-like bacterium and its possible role in infertility.
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