Chlamydia infection in Reiter's syndrome

We report on 129 patients (109 females, 21 males) clinically suspect of Reiter's syndrome (RS).52 (48%) of the patients were positive for C. trachomatis. In 39.8% of the patients, we found antibodies against chlamydial complement with the titers 1:4 to 1:16. The titers 1:16 and higher were present in 33.3% of the men and in 22.2% of the women. Direct electron microscopy of urethral biopsies and synovial fluids revealed chlamydial elementary and initial bodies in 54.1% of the cases. Cytological investigations showed chlamydial inclusions in 38% of the patients. One strain of C. trachomatis could be isolated from urethral samples of two men in chicken embryos. HLA-B27 antigen was found in 86% of the patients positive for Chlamydia and and in 50% of those negative for Chlamydia.