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Choi, Kang, Chung, and Ahn: Chlamydia trachomatis Antibody in Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome
Original Article

Korean J Leg Med 2008;28(4):293-298.

Published online: 14 February 2008

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3343/kjlm.2008.28.4.293

Chlamydia trachomatis Antibody in Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome

Tae Yeal Choi, M.D.1, Jung Oak Kang, M.D.1, Sung Ro Chung, M.D.2, Youhern Ahn, M.D.3

1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

2Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

3Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Received 7 March 200814 April 2008       Accepted 14 April 2008

Copyright © 2008 by the Korean Society for Legal Medicine

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Background

Fitz-Hugh-Curtis (FHC) syndrome is inflammation of the liver capsule associated with pelvic inflammatory disease. We measured Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies in 30 female patients with acute abdominal pain for diagnosis of FHC-syndrome, and the results were compared with other tests.

Methods

A dual-polymerase chain reaction was used for the detection of C. trachomatis in the cervix, and a micro-immunofluorescence test was performed to measure the antibody to C. trachomatis in serum. Cervical specimens were stained with Gram stain and cultured on chocolate agar for detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and abdominal computed tomography (CT) and pelvic examinations were performed.

Results

Of the 30 patients examined, 19 were diagnosed as having FHC-syndromes and 11 abdominal pains without FHC-syndrome. C. trachomatis was detected from one of the five patients studied, and no N. gonorrhoeae was isolated from the patients with FHC-syndrome. High titers of IgG antibody (1:512-1:1,024) to C. trachomatis were demonstrated in all patients with FHC-syndrome. The CT scan revealed perihepatitis in 14 patients with FHC-syndrome.

Conclusions

All patients with FHC-syndrome are associated with C. trachomatis infections, and a high titer of C. trachomatis antibody (IgG) is a very useful marker for FHC-syndrome.

Keywords: Chlamydia trachomatis, Fitz-Hugh-Curtis (FHC) syndrome, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

REFERENCES

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Table 1.
Characteristics of female patients with acute abdominal pain
No. case Age Dept IgG/IgM∗ PEx CT PCR† Culture‡ Final diagnosis
1 46 GE 512/8 PID PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
2 25 GE 512/8 PID PH P NG FHC-syndrome
3 23 GE 512/8 PID PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
4 33 GE 1,024/8 PID PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
5 21 GE 512/8 PID PH N NG FHC-syndrome
6 27 GE 512/16 PID PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
7 37 GE 512/8 PID PH N NG FHC-syndrome
8 17 OG 1,024/8 PID PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
9 29 GE 512/8 PID PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
10 39 GE 1,024/8 PID PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
11 22 GE 512/8 PID PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
12 25 GE 512/8 PID PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
13 21 GE 512/8 PID PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
14 23 GE 1,024/8 PID PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
15 26 GE 1,024/8 PID No PH N NG FHC-syndrome
16 19 GE 512/8 PID No PH N NG FHC-syndrome
17 31 GE 1,024/8 PID No PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
18 26 GE 1,024/64 PID No PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
19 30 GE 1,024/8 PID No PH NT NG FHC-syndrome
20 23 GE 128/8 No PID PH NT NT Cholecystitis
21 26 GE 8/8 No PID No PH NT NT Cholecystitis
22 19 GE 8/8 No PID PH NT NT Pneumonia
23 20 GE 8/8 No PID NT NT NT Intestinal diverticulum
24 28 GE 8/8 No PID NT NT NT Intestinal diverticulum
25 31 GE 8/8 No PID NT NT NT Gastroesophageal reflux
26 25 GE 32/8 No PID NT NT NT Chronic hepatitis
27 40 GE 8/8 No PID NT NT NT Ileus
28 14 PD 8/8 No PID NT NT NT Acute pyelonephritis
29 67 NE 8/8 No PID NT NT NT Acute pyelonephritis
30 25 GE 32/8 No PID NT NT NT Hepatitis

∗ , Antibody titers of immnonoglobulin G and M to C. trachomatis;

† , PCR for C. trachomatis;

‡ , Culture of N. gonrrhoeae.

Abbreviations: Dept, Department; GE, Gastroenterology; OG, Obstetrics and Gynecology; NE, Nephrology; PD, Pediatrics; PEx, Pelvic examination; PID, Pelvic inflammatory diseases; NG, No growth; N, Negative; P, Positive; NT, Not tested; CT, Computed tomography; PH, perihepatitis; FHC, Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome.

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