Chlamydia trachomatis is found worldwide and is probably the most common sexually transmitted disease, infecting both females and males, adults as well as children. The organism is responsible for a variety of infections in women--urethral syndrome, cervicitis, endometritis and salpingitis. C. trachomatis may colonize the lower genital tract and result in asymptomatic infection, ultimately resulting in sterility. In addition, infection of the female genital tract during pregnancy may result in spontaneous abortion, premature labor, postpartum endometritis, neonatal conjunctivitis or pneumonia.