Which microorganism is the MOST commonly identified cause of acute pelvic inflammatory disease in population-based studies?
- A Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- B Mycoplasma hominis
- C Chlamydia trachomatis ✓
- D Bacteroides fragilis
Correct answer: C. Chlamydia trachomatis
Explanation
Chlamydia trachomatis is the most frequently isolated pathogen in PID across large cohort studies, partly because untreated asymptomatic cervical infection ascends silently. Gonorrhoea, option A, is the classic examination answer but it produces a more florid acute syndrome while being numerically less common. Anaerobes such as Bacteroides and Mycoplasma hominis act as cofactors in polymicrobial infection rather than being the leading single cause.
Reference: Berek and Novak's Gynecology, 16th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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