Abstract:
This study was designed to detect the prevalence of chlamydia trachomatis as a cause of
non-gonococcal arthritis (NGU) in patients who presented at the central STD clinic of the
STD/AIDS control programme. Both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were
studied.6/50 (12 per cent) of the patients were positive for chlamydia trachomatis either by
the DFT tissue culture or by both.3 of these were males and 3 were females.5/75 (6.6 per
cent) samples were positive by DFT and 2/75 (3.3 per cent) samples were positively cell
culture. The male patients were in the 20-25, 26-30, and the 40 year age groups. The female
patients were in the 17 year, and the 30-40 year age groups.DFT was found to be a rapid and
sensitive test for the detection of c.trachomatis. The cell culture although not so sensitive, is
a useful test particularly in medico-legal issues. Also it preserves the specimens for
additional studies like genotyping and antimicrobial sensitivity testing
