Interrelationship of Chlamydia trachomatis and other pathogens in the female genital tract

Abstract

The isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Candida albicans in the female genital tract was studied in 1323 patients attending a venereal disease clinic. Disruption of the cell monolayers used for the isolation of C. trachomatis was significantly associated with the presence of T. vaginalis; this effect was markedly reduced by the addition of vancomycin to gentamicin and amphotericin B in the transport and growth media. The only significant positive association was the more frequent isolation of C. trachomatis in the presence of N. gonorrhoeae. There was a negative association between N. gonorrhoeae and C. albicans and between T. vaginalis and C. albicans, the fungus being isolated significantly less frequently when these microorganisms were present.