Antibodies to chlamydia - cells produced by the immune system in response to the penetration of the infectious agent. The higher the body's defenses, the faster the capture and destruction of foreign bodies.

Despite the fact that the norms of antibodies to chlamydia can be found in medical reference books, each patient should understand that a qualified specialist should be involved in deciphering the results of the analysis. Don't try to do this on your own. It is not necessary to draw conclusions about the presence of chlamydia on the basis of the data obtained. Every doctor knows that antibody titers are a variable value.

Their different types are detected in various forms of the disease. Therefore, the expression "found chlamydia" is incorrect. A positive result of an antibody test should not be a reason for the use of a particular drug. Venous blood serves as a material for research.

The presence of immunoglobulins can be determined by ELISA, the accuracy of which is close to 90%.

Antibody types

To determine the stage and form of the disease, as well as the selection of the most effective treatment regimen, the doctor analyzes several indicators:

Antibodies to IgA can be detected as early as 2 weeks after infection. In the following months, their titer constantly increases, however, with proper therapy, a gradual decrease is observed until it reaches normal values. If during the treatment period this indicator remains unchanged, we are talking about the transition of chlamydia into a chronic form. If the result is negative, the antibody test is repeated after 2 weeks. This method is considered auxiliary, it cannot be used to make a final diagnosis.

Antibodies of the IgM class appear in the body when chlamydia begins to actively reproduce and the disease becomes acute. Their appearance indicates that the immune system needs support to fight the bacteria. Not without the use of antibiotics. Regardless of the amount, these antibodies will not be able to destroy the infection.

Antibodies to chlamydia IgM appear about 3 weeks after infection. A further decrease in titer does not indicate recovery. A positive and weakly positive test result during pregnancy indicates the possibility of intrauterine infection of the fetus.

Anti chlamydia trachomatis IgG are detected a few weeks after infection and remain in the body forever. If a patient has had chlamydia at least once in his life, a small titer will be present throughout his life. The result of the analysis for antibodies to chlamydia trachomatis IgG positive does not give an idea of ​​the form in which the infection proceeds. Blood for immunoglobulins of this class is recommended to be examined several times. Diagnosis of chlamydia should include more informative methods.

Deciphering the results

When interpreting the results of the analysis for chlamydia, specialists use the positivity coefficient:

To determine the stage of the pathological process, it is necessary to analyze the amount of class M immunoglobulins. Additionally, an analysis of a smear from the urethra or vagina is prescribed. The combination of these methods allows you to establish the correct diagnosis. Antibodies in the body of a child can be detected if his parents had chlamydia. Especially often occurs intrauterine infection. Analysis should be done when there are signs of chlamydial conjunctivitis, otitis or laryngitis.

Intrauterine infection is indicated by the presence of class G immunoglobulins in the absence of others. A negative test result in a newborn does not mean that he does not have chlamydia. If the infection occurred at the time of birth, antibodies in the blood appear only for 3-4 weeks of life. During this period, a re-examination is recommended.

It is impossible to make an accurate diagnosis based on the detection of antibodies during pregnancy. During this period, the analysis very often gives false positive results. The rate of antibodies to chlamydia largely depends on the duration of pregnancy. When deciphering the conclusion, the specialist must take this indicator into account. The use of antibacterial drugs before an accurate diagnosis is unacceptable.

Antibodies to chlamydia can be detected in a completely healthy person. This is explained by the fact that they are similar to the immunoglobulins produced by influenza and SARS - diseases that have visited almost every inhabitant of our planet. In order not to carry out treatment in vain, a PCR study is prescribed.

Content

A serious infection, often sexually transmitted, is dangerous with severe consequences. Laboratory diagnostic methods - blood tests for chlamydia - help to identify the disease, start its treatment. What are the features of surveys, how informative are all their varieties, how the results are deciphered - questions that are interesting to get answers to.

Chlamydia trachomatis - what is it

• during unprotected intercourse;
• household way;
• during pregnancy from an infected mother to a child;

• for men, the disease is dangerous by the development of prostatitis, impotence, chlamydial pneumonia;
• in women, chlamydia provoke miscarriages, adhesions in the pelvis, premature birth, tumors of the uterus.

Diagnosis of chlamydia

The disease may be asymptomatic for a long period after infection. Often chlamydia is detected in the diagnosis of other sexually transmitted infections. Due to the characteristics of the biological cycle of the pathogen, analyzes are carried out in several ways. Laboratory diagnosis of chlamydia includes research methods:

• primary microscopic analysis of the smear;
• cultural method - sowing biomaterial in a special environment - gives an accurate result;
• RIF of chlamydia - determination of the immunofluorescence reaction - pathogens glow under a microscope, it is reliable.

Analysis for chlamydia

Blood tests are the most accurate diagnosis for detecting chlamydial infection. They are produced according to several methods that have their own characteristics. The main types of examination:

• Immunoassay - ELISA. By the amount of Igg, Igm, Iga antibodies, it is determined which phase is currently observed in the disease - acute, chronic or remission.
• Polymer chain reaction - PCR. Detects pathogen DNA, is a very reliable diagnostic method.

• having unprotected sex with a new sexual partner;
• women who have frequent ailments due to pelvic diseases;
• both partners when planning pregnancy, so as not to infect the expected baby;
• women who have problems bearing a child;
• patients with unexplained causes of infertility.

Blood for chlamydia is taken from a vein. To obtain objective results, doctors recommend that you comply with the requirements:

• do tests not earlier than a month after antibiotic treatment;
• do not have sexual intercourse in the coming days before the examination;
• do not smoke half an hour before blood sampling;
• come to the study on an empty stomach;
• do not drink alcohol during the day;
• do not drink water before testing;
• exclude the implementation of physiotherapy.

PCR for chlamydia

With this research method, chlamydia in the blood is determined by the amount of DNA of microorganisms that are in the selected sample. Polymer chain reaction analysis - PCR - is characterized by very high accuracy and sensitivity. The result is fast and reliable. It is considered positive with a large number of chlamydia in the sample for research - the cause of infection is confirmed. The advantage of the method is that it detects infections:

• in a hidden form;
• oligosymptomatic;
• at the acute stage.

Chlamydia poses a great danger to a woman who is expecting the birth of a baby. There is a high probability of intrauterine infection. Timely diagnosis will help to start treatment at an early stage, to avoid serious problems. Chlamydia PCR analysis is prescribed by gynecologists to exclude infection when a pregnant woman has symptoms:

• elevated temperature;
• soreness in the lower abdomen;
• feeling unwell.

The PCR blood test is universal. With its help, not only the causative agent of chlamydia is determined, but also other infections - herpes, tuberculosis, hepatitis. When decrypting, two options are possible:

• negative - indicates the absence of infection of the body;
• positive - indicates that infection has occurred, and by what type of bacteria.

ELISA for chlamydia

From the first days of infection, the body begins to produce antibodies to chlamydia in the blood. Three types of immunoglobulins stand up to protect against the disease, which are called Igg, Igm, Iga. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - ELISA for chlamydia not only accurately determines their presence, but states the stage in which the disease is located. This is due to the appearance of each of the antibodies at a particular stage of infection.

When examining blood by ELISA, immunoglobulins are detected at the following times:

• after infection, Igm immediately appears, if the other two are absent, acute inflammation is diagnosed, it is important when examining newborns;
• a month after infection, Iga antibodies are formed, which indicate the progression of the disease;
• the appearance of Igg signals the transition of chlamydial infection into its chronic form.

Deciphering the analysis for chlamydia

Interpretation of the results of the survey has subtleties, so it should be carried out by qualified specialists. A blood test for chlamydia ELISA stands for each type of immunoglobulin, indicates the period of development of the infection. When determining Igm, the results are:

• Positive: less than two weeks have passed since infection; if other antibodies are not detected, in the presence of Igg, an exacerbation of chronic inflammation.
• Negative: no chlamydia - in the absence of all immunoglobulins; when Igg is detected - infection occurred at least two months ago.

In blood tests for the presence of Iga antibodies, the result is interpreted as follows:

• Positive: acute stage of chronic infection or infection more than two weeks old; infection of the child during pregnancy.
• Negative: no chlamydial inflammation; from the time of illness less than 14 days; there is little chance of fetal infection.

When decoding the test for Igg, the following results are produced:

• At the norm - absent, the value of the coefficient of positivity is in the range of 0–0.99;
• Positive: Chlamydia infection or flare-up occurred more than three weeks ago.
• Negative - in case of simultaneous absence of Iga Igm immunoglobulins: no chlamydia in the blood; full recovery.

Where to get tested for chlamydia

Those who have felt signs of the disease, had unprotected sex with a casual partner, can be purchased at the pharmacy for an express test. With its help, the presence of chlamydia infection is quickly determined. For analysis, you need urine or a smear in women. The instructions describe how to collect them. The result is decoded like this:

• positive - requires immediate contact with a venereologist for the appointment of drug treatment;
• a negative test indicates that the disease is absent at the time of the test.

You can get tested for chlamydia by referral from a venereologist or gynecologist. It is not excluded that the patient independently applies to medical institutions if infection is suspected. A blood test for chlamydia is carried out by such organizations:

• women's consultations;
• family planning clinics;
• skin and venereal dispensaries;
• specialized laboratories for research.

How much does a chlamydia test cost?

Testing for chlamydia can be done at clinics or specialized centers that provide such services. The cost depends on the status of the institution, the available equipment. The classification of specialists involved in deciphering the results plays a role. The price of analysis for chlamydia in medical organizations in Moscow is summarized in the table:

Video: how to take a blood test for chlamydia

Attention! The information provided in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give recommendations for treatment, based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

General information about the study

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

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

The life cycle of chlamydia consists of two phases. The first phase is extracellular, when chlamydia are in a spore-like form and are called elementary bodies (they are insensitive to antibiotics). After penetrating inside, chlamydia cells turn into reticular bodies - a biological form that actively reproduces; during this period, chlamydia are sensitive to antibiotic therapy. This feature explains the tendency of this type of infection to a long 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 a particular organ. Chlamydia trachomatis infects certain types of cells that cover the lining of the urethra, the inside of the cervix in women, the back of the throat, the lining of the rectum, the conjunctiva of the eyes, and the respiratory tract in children during their first months of life.

Infection with chlamydia occurs as a result of direct contact of the mucous membranes with the pathogen, usually during unprotected intercourse. A child can become infected during the passage of 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 when the symptoms of the disease are not noticeable, 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 blocked fallopian tubes and eventually infertility or tubal (ectopic) pregnancy. A feature of chlamydia of the uterine appendages is a 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 an inflammation of the urethra (urethritis), vas deferens (epididymitis). In some cases, the prostate gland becomes inflamed (prostatitis).

Between 5 and 20% of pregnant women have chlamydial infection of the cervical canal. Approximately half of the children who are born to them become infected during childbirth. Half of infected children develop chlamydial conjunctivitis, 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 increase and well-being is disturbed. In the future, there may be complications associated with changes in the genitals and rectum.

Infection with chlamydia 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 their appearance and quantity in the blood can be used to judge the stage of the disease.

Antibodies of the IgA class 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 a wider spread of chlamydia in the body. IgA are detected in the blood 10-15 days after the initial introduction of Chlamydia trachomatis. In the future, after a certain time, their concentration decreases. If the disease becomes chronic, their level remains high for a long time.

What is research used for?

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

When is the study scheduled?

• With 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 during urination, discharge from the urethra, pain, itching in the genital area.
• In combination with other studies to determine the causes of infertility.
• With symptoms of conjunctivitis and / or pneumonia in a newborn.
• When it is required 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 appeared.

Diagnostic antibody titer to Chlamydia trachomatis in the blood: for IgM - 1:200 and above, for IgG - 1:10 and above.

During acute chlamydial infection and shortly after it, there is an increase in the titer of antibodies IgA, IgM and IgG to Chlamydia trachomatis in blood. Chlamydia trachomatis infected the body synthesizes antibodies, but these antibodies have a weak protective effect: pathogens usually persist even in the presence of high antibody titers. Early intensive treatment may inhibit antibody synthesis. Due to the relatively large "antigenic mass" of chlamydia in genital infections, serum IgG antibodies are detected quite often and in high titers. So, in children with chlamydial pneumonia, they can be very high: 1:1600-1:3200.

IgM antibodies are detected during the acute period of infection (as early as 5 days after its onset). The peak of IgM antibodies falls on the 1st-2nd week, then there is a gradual decrease in their titer (as a rule, they disappear after 2-3 months even without treatment). Antibodies of the IgM class are directed against lipopolysaccharide and the main protein of the outer membrane of chlamydia. The presence of IgM antibodies indicates the activity of chlamydia. IgM antibodies do not cross the placenta, are synthesized in the fetus and belong to the newborn's own antibodies. Their presence indicates infection (including intrauterine) and indicates an active process. The titer of IgM-AT may increase during reactivation, reinfection or superinfection. Their half-life is 5 days.

Antibodies of the IgA class are synthesized against the main protein of the outer membrane and a protein with a molecular weight of 60,000-62,000 chlamydia. They are detected in the blood serum 10-14 days after the onset of the disease, their titer usually decreases by the 2-4th month as a result of successful treatment. With reinfection, the titer of IgA antibodies increases again. If after a course of treatment the titer of IgA antibodies does not decrease, this indicates a chronic or persistent form of infection. The detection of a high titer of IgA antibodies often indicates a pronounced autoimmune process in a patient, most often found in patients with Reiter's syndrome. In such patients, the presence of IgA antibodies indicates a severe course of the disease.

Antibodies of the IgG class appear 15-20 days after the onset of the disease and can persist for many years. Reinfection is accompanied by an increase in the existing titer of IgG antibodies. The determination of the titer of antibodies to chlamydia in the blood must be carried out in dynamics, the evaluation of research results based on a single study is unreliable. Antibodies of the IgG class cross the placenta and form anti-infective immunity in newborns. High titers of IgG-AT protect the fetus from infection, as well as women from the occurrence of salpingitis after artificial termination of pregnancy; in addition, they provide short-term protection (up to 6 months) from re-infection with chlamydia. The half-life of IgG-AT is 23 days.

To establish the diagnosis, it is necessary to simultaneously determine the antibodies of the IgA and IgG classes, with an unclear result of IgA, additionally investigate the IgM antibodies.

Newborns and their mothers are examined on the 1-3rd day after childbirth, in case of a negative result in the presence of a clinical picture of the disease - again on the 5-7th and 10-14th days. The presence of IgM class antibodies upon re-examination indicates a congenital infection (maternal IgM class antibodies do not cross the placenta). The absence of anti-chlamydial antibodies in newborns does not mean the absence of chlamydial infection.

Determination of antibody titer to Chlamydia trachomatis in the blood - an auxiliary test for the diagnosis of chlamydia, since due to low immunogenicity, antibodies are not detected in 50% of patients with chlamydia.

Determination of antibodies of classes IgA, IgM and IgG to Chlamydia trachomatis in the blood is used to diagnose chlamydia infection in the following diseases:

• urethritis, prostatitis, cervicitis, adnexitis;
• pneumonia, inflammatory diseases of the lungs;
• Reiter's disease, Behcet's syndrome, infectious arthropathies.

Diseases caused Chlamydia trachomatis

Trachoma. Chronic keratoconjunctivitis begins with acute inflammatory changes in the conjunctiva and cornea and leads to scarring and blindness.

In scrapings from the conjunctiva, chlamydial antigens in epithelial cells are determined by fluorescence. More often they are found in the early stages of the disease in the upper part of the conjunctiva.

Urogenital chlamydia and conjunctivitis. The frequency of detection of chlamydia in men with non-gonococcal urethritis is 30-50%. Infection of women who have a first pregnancy reaches 5-20%, having an abortion - 3-18%. Among patients with signs of cervicitis, chlamydial infection is detected in 20-40% of cases; salpingitis - in 20-70% of cases; urinary tract infection - in 5-10% of cases.

Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome is also referred to as an early complication of chlamydial infection, it is acute peritonitis and perihepatitis, accompanied by ascites.

Respiratory damage caused by Chlamydia. In adults with chlamydial conjunctivitis, symptoms of damage to the upper respiratory tract (pharyngitis, rhinitis, otitis, etc.) often appear, developing, apparently, as a result of the spread of chlamydial infection through the nasolacrimal canal. Pneumonia in adults usually does not develop. In newborns infected from mothers, 2-12 weeks after birth, respiratory system damage up to pneumonia is possible.

Reiter's syndrome (disease) For Reiter's syndrome. the classic triad is characteristic: urethritis, conjunctivitis and arthritis. In this syndrome, chlamydia can be found in the synovial fluid. An increase in the titer of antibodies of the IgA, IgM and IgG classes is noted during the development of an active infection of the joints.

Endocarditis. Clinically, they proceed at lightning speed, with significant damage to the aortic valves.

Latent infection may manifest itself spontaneously in the form of an asymptomatic complication. More than half of patients have signs of chronic prostatitis and/or sacroiliitis.

Currently, methods for detecting antigens are used to diagnose chlamydial infection. Chlamydia trachomatis in the test material (ELISA, fluorescent antibody method, PCR). Determination of antibody titer in blood serum to Chlamydia trachomatis- an auxiliary method for the diagnosis of chlamydia.

According to the latest statistics, the number of people infected with chlamydia is growing every year. Previously, this disease was characteristic and most often found among young people. Now it has become widespread among mature people. The spread of chlamydia is associated with an active sexual life of the population, frequent change of partners and unprotected sexual intercourse. The causative agent of the disease are chlamydia trachomatis, which are sexually transmitted. It is very difficult to diagnose chlamydia during a routine clinical examination and history taking, so a chlamydia antibody test is often ordered by doctors.

Important: Chlamydia trachomatis is very dangerous for both men and women, so it is very important to recognize the disease in time and start its treatment. Early diagnosis plays an important role in this.

Consequences and danger

The penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the body of a healthy person occurs most often during unprotected intercourse with a carrier of the disease. Previously, there was an opinion that it is possible to become infected through contact and household contact, that is, for example, through towels or contact, and so on. But the latest clinical trials have proven that chlamydia is unable to adapt to life outside the human body, so they quickly die in the external environment, which completely eliminates the possibility of getting sick in a domestic way.

Chlamydial pneumonia is terrible for its consequences / complications, which are expressed in the following diseases:

• inflammation of the inner lining of the heart;
• inflammatory diseases of the ear;
• inflammatory diseases of the respiratory and pulmonary tracts;
• nodular erythrema.

Important: For timely diagnosis, it is recommended to do an analysis for antibodies to chlamydia in the blood, it will help the doctor determine the form and stage of the disease, and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Types

Antibodies are special protein compounds that are produced by the body after the causative agent of the disease/infection enters it. With their help, the body independently fights against pathogens.

Determination of antibodies to chlamydia is possible when examining the patient's venous blood. Based on the results of the study, it is possible to determine at what stage the disease is.

Analysis for antibodies to chlamydia trachomatis is considered one of the most reliable methods for determining chlamydia. Its essence lies in determining the amount of immunoglobulins produced in the body after an infection enters it.

In order for the test results to be correct, it is recommended to follow a few simple rules:

• a few days before the blood sampling, it is recommended to completely abandon alcoholic beverages;
• on the day of the test, you can not smoke;
• the analysis is carried out in the morning, on an empty stomach;
• a few days before the study, it is also necessary to refrain from taking a number of medications, as well as from salty and spicy foods;
• research requires venous blood.

Important: To obtain accurate results, you need to follow the recommendations of a specialist.

Decryption

To interpret the analysis for antibodies to chlamydia, it is recommended to contact a specialist who, if necessary, can prescribe the necessary treatment and give you a professional interpretation of the result. The interpretation of the analysis is as follows:

Treatment

The difficulty in the treatment of chlamydia trachomatis lies in the fact that their essence is intermediate: between a viral and bacterial disease. In this case, complex treatment is carried out, which includes taking antibacterial and immunostimulating agents, various enzymes, and probiotics. Often prescribed and physiotherapy methods, means of local exposure: ointments, candles, lotions.

Important: After the end of the course of treatment, the patient must undergo a control test for antibodies.

Very often among patients the question arises: can the result for antibodies to chlamydia be positive in perfectly healthy people? The answer to this question is positive. After all, very often after some other disease, for example, an acute respiratory viral infection, antibodies cross.

Important: Using the polymerase chain reaction method, it is possible to identify the causative agent of infection with almost 100% guarantee.