[Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis from the endometrium and endometritis. Apropos of a series of 42 patients]. / Isolement de Chlamydia trachomatis dans l'endomètre et endométrite. A propos d'une série de 42 patientes.

Most studies have been concerned with recovering Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) from the endocervix on the one hand and from the adnexae on the other hand and consider its relationship to infection of the upper genital tract. Our work is concerned with the endometrium. 42 women were examined: 22 of them had salpingitis (group I), 14 were considered possibly to have endometritis with a risk of infection with CT, or had cervicitis (group II), and 6 were in the control group (group III). Samples were taken from the endometrium that had been removed for histological examination and for searching for CT in cultures. These samples were taken routinely at the initial examination and then again 10 and/or 40 days later for women in groups I and II. These latter were all treated systemically with cyclines. A high incidence of endometrial infection with CT was found (17%). The recovery of CT from the endometrium was correlated with the presence of an intra-uterine device, with purulent discharge, with evidence of CT in the cervix, and with anti-chlamydia serology higher than or equal to 1/128. CT infection of the endometrium gave late lesions of endometritis which persisted in spite of the antibiotic therapy that had been given.