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Original Articles
Diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis Infections by Polymerase Chain Reaction in Children with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
Mi Ran Kim, Hyeon Seon Park, Chong Young Park, Kyu Man Lee*, Hoan Jong Lee**
Department of Pediatrics and Clinical Pathology*, College of Medicine, Hallym University Department of Pediatrics**, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Vol.28 Num.2 (p123~130)
Background : Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the important pathogens in lower respiratory tract infections among younger infants. But the diagnosis and proper treatment are often difficult because of the limitations in culture. Recently polymerase chain reaction(PCR) for the detection of C. Trachomatis has been developed and confirmed to have high sensitivity and specificity. We tried to detect C. trachomatis in nasopharyngeal aspirates by PCR assay from children with lower respiratory tract infections.
Methods : During the period from November 1990 through February 1995, nasopharyngeal aspirates were obtained from children with lower respiratory tract infections. PCR assay was done using primers derived from sequences of the common endogenous plasmid. The PCR product was confirmed with HpaII restriction enzyme digestion and electrophoresis.
Results : One(1.5%) of 67 infants younger than 6 months showed a 200 bp PCR product corresponding to the size predicted. The PCR product was cleaved into two fragments of 74 and 126 bp by HpaII digestion. He was a 6 month old boy with pneumonia and the clinical features were compatible with chlamydial pneumonia. No specific amplified products were detected in any of 122 children older than 6 months.
Conclusion : PCR assay can be used in diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections in children. Lower respiratory tract infections with C. trachomatis were rare in infants and children of this study using PCR assay as a diagnostic tool.
Keywords : Chlamydia trachomatis, Polymerase chain reaction, Lower respiratory tract infection