cause of PID and its long term consequences include chronic pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility. In both sexes, conjunctivitis (that does not progress to blindness) and joint inflammation may occur. Babies born to mothers with infection of their genital tract frequently present with chlamydial eye infection within a week of birth (chlamydial ophthalmia neonatorum), and may subsequently develop pneumonia. What are the symptoms and signs? Symptoms and signs are non-specific, and variable. In men, a mucopurulent urethral discharge, with or without pain on passing urine appears between one and three weeks after exposure. In women, cervical infection may produce vaginal discharge. It is impossible to exclude other genital infections such as gonorrhoea or bacterial vaginosis on clinical examination alone and laboratory examination of the discharge is essential to make the diagnosis. Mixed infections are common. In both men and women, asymptomatic infection is not uncommon. Abdominal pain and raised temperature may indicate PID in women. This condition may be difficult to distinguish from other causes of abdominal pain. How is it spread? The organism is transmitted from one partner to another during sexual intercourse. Contamination of the hands with genital discharge may lead to a conjunctival infection following contact with the eyes. How is it diagnosed? The organism cannot be grown outside living cells. Culture of Chlamydia trachomatis is therefore restricted to laboratories with special facilities. However, using new techniques of direct antigen detection, the organism can be identified in clinical material with a high degree of accuracy without the need to culture. These facilities are now becomi...
