Infertility has become nowadays not only a medical, but a social problem as well. Infertility in female is caused by various factors. Tubal disease is responsible for 25-35% of female infertility. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is the most common cause of tubal disease.
Aim of the study: Determine the frequency of tuberculosis and C. trachomatis in patients with tubal factor infertility to develop a laboratory strategy for identification of the most common causes of tubal factor infertility (M.tuberculosis and C. trachomatis ) in our locality with respect to laparoscopic finding.
Patients and Methods: This study was performed on ninety women with primary infertility and abnormal hysterosalpingography as studied group and 30 infertile women (with polycystic ovary as the only cause of infertility ) and normal hysterosalpingography as a control group. Mycobacterium tuberculosis IgG and of C. trachomatis IgG antibodies were performed by enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for detection mpt64 gene of M. tuberculosis and C. trachomatis plasmid DNA
Results: In patient group, M.tuberculosis and C. trachomatis IgG antibodies showed positive results in 72 (80%) and 43 patients (81.1%) respectively. In control group they were detected in 23 (76.7%) and 5 (16.6%) respectively. PCR for mpt64 gene of M. tuberculosis was detected in peritoneal fluid of 17 patients (18.89%) and and C. trachomatis plasmid DNA were detected 5 patients (5.56%) respectively.
Conclusions: Tuberculosis is one of the major etiological factors for female infertility in Egypt and the use PCR for mpt64 gene o f M. tuberculosis plays an important role in diagnosis of genital tuberculosis with results comparable with laparoscopy and histopathology. Detection of C. trachomatis IgG antibodies by ELISA can play a significant role in detection of C. trachomatis in infertile women.