[Assessment of sputum culture and serology for detection of chlamydia pneumoniae in patients with symptomatic acute respiratory tract infection].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate sputum culture and serology for detection of chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) in adult patients with acute respiratory tract infection and normal subjects.

METHODS: Microimmunoflorescence (micro-IF) test for IgG and IgM antibodies to C. pneumoniae specific antigen was performed in every subject. Thirty-seven patients also had sputum HEP-2 cell culture tested for C. pneumoniae.

RESULTS: Twenty-six patients (29.7%) with micro-IF IgG titres equal to or greater than 1:512 or/and IgM titres equal to or greater than 1:32 indicated recent infection. Eight patients (21.3%) with positive sputum culture of C. pnuemoniae were identified. No similar titer was shown in control normal subjects.

CONCLUSIONS: Acute infection of C. pneumoniae was common in symptomatic patients with acute respiratory tract infection and attention should be drawn to this special illness.