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Chlamydia pneumoniae Carriage and Infection in Hospitalized Children with Respiratory Tract Diseases

  • Clinical and Epidemiological Study
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Abstract.

Background:

The importance of Chlamydia pneumoniae respiratory tract infection in childhood is under discussion.

Patients and Methods:

798 hospitalized children with respiratory tract diseases were prospectively studied during a 2-year period by polymerase chain reaction and enzyme immunoassay (PCR-EIA) detection from throat swabs. Paired serum samples were used to screen for Chlamydia antibodies.

Results:

C. pneumoniae was detected by PCR-EIA in 74 children. Prevalence was 11% in lower and 4% in upper respiratory tract disease (p = 0.049) without age dependency. From November to February prevalence was elevated (42/277 vs. 32/521; p < 0.001). Using serology, prevalence of acute Chlamydia infection increased with age (p < 0.001) and the number of coinfections (p < 0.001), without seasonal variation.

Conclusion:

Characteristics of C. pneumoniae carriage in the respiratory tract in childhood differ from those in systemic infection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Infectious, Bronchopulmonary and Allergic Diseases, Children’s and Youth Hospital, Soldmannstr. 15, D-17487, Greifswald, Germany

    S. M. Schmidt, C. E. Müller, M. Krechting & S. K. W. Wiersbitzky

  2. Dept. of Pediatric Radiology, Center for Radiology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University, Greifswald, Germany

    H. Wiersbitzky

  3. Friedrich Loeffler Institute for Medical Microbiology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University, Greifswald, Germany

    L. Gürtler

Authors
  1. S. M. Schmidt
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  2. C. E. Müller
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  3. M. Krechting
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  4. H. Wiersbitzky
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  5. L. Gürtler
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  6. S. K. W. Wiersbitzky
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. M. Schmidt.

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Schmidt, S.M., Müller, C.E., Krechting, M. et al. Chlamydia pneumoniae Carriage and Infection in Hospitalized Children with Respiratory Tract Diseases. Infection 31, 410–416 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-003-3159-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-003-3159-5

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