Chlamydia trachomatis - a urologist‘s nightmare ?

Infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis represent the most common sexually transmitted bacterial disease in developed countries.

Infections with A, B, C and L serotypes cause serious illness in tropical and subtropical areas and are rarely encountered in our conditions.

By contrast, oculogenital forms affect the populations of economically developed countries. The prevalence in the population shows an

increasing trend. According to WHO, more than 90 million of all sexually transmitted infections are caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis

bacterium annually. Data from the Czech Republic are unavailable since the diseases, except for lymphogranuloma venereum and trachoma,

are not subject to official registration.

The oligo- to asymptomatic course of the disease usually does not allow for the diagnosis of the acute phase which is relatively easy to treat.

Patients typically present with nonspecific lower urinary tract symptoms and chronic pelvic pain. The diagnosing and treatment of advanced

disease is costly, the course is prolonged, and, not uncommonly, rather unsuccessful; it requires patient cooperation and compliance,

including the cooperation of the patient‘s partner. The long-term course of the disease with major limitations in the sexual life of

partners significantly affects the quality of life of those involved while seriously interfering with the physician-patient relationship.

No guidelines exist for the treatment of chronic and persistent disease with the exception of empirical knowledge of the inefficacy of

short-term treatment regimens.

Keywords: Chlamydia trachomatis, chronic diseases, diagnosis, treatment.