Chlamydia trachomatis

Chlamydia trachomatis
C. trachomatis inclusion bodies (brown) in a McCoy cell culture.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Bacteria Phylum: Chlamydiae Order: Chlamydiales Family: Chlamydiaceae Genus: Chlamydia Species: C. trachomatis
Binomial name
Chlamydia trachomatis Busacca, 1935

Chlamydia trachomatis is one of three bacterial species in the genus Chlamydia, family Chlamydiaceae, class Chlamydiae, phylum Chlamydiae, domain Bacteria. C. trachomatis has only been found living inside the cells of humans, causing the following conditions:

In men

• Prostatitis
• Epididymitis

In women

• Cervicitis
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Premature birth
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Pelvic pain, chronic or acute
• Newborn eye (trachoma) or lung infection

In both sexes

• Lymphogranuloma venereum
• Urethritis
• Infertility
• Proctitis (rectal disease and bleeding)
• Reactive arthritis
• Trachoma

C. trachomatis has also been detected in some patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disease. It may be treated with any of several antibiotics: azithromycin, erythromycin or doxycycline/tetracycline.

C. trachomatis was the first chlamydial agent discovered in humans. It comprises two human biovars: trachoma and lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV). Many, but not all, C. trachomatis strains have an extrachromosomal plasmid. Chlamydia species are readily identified and distinguished from other chlamydial species using DNA-based tests. Most strains of C. trachomatis are recognized by monoclonal antibodies [mAbs] to epitopes in the VS4 region of MOMP. However, these mAbs may also crossreact with the other two Chlamydia species, Chlamydia suis and Chlamydia muridarum.

• Chlamydophila pneumoniae
• Chlamydophila pneumoniae

• Pneumonia

• Chlamydial Infections in Adolescents and Adults

• Preferred regimen (1): Doxycycline 100 mg PO bid for 7 days OR Azithromycin 1 g PO in a single dose
• Alternative regimen (2): Tetracycline 250 mg PO qid for 14-21 days
• Preferred regimen (3): Azithromycin 500 mg PO for once a day followed by 250 mg/day for 4 days
• Preferred regimen (4): Clarithromycin 500 mg PO bid for 10 days
• Preferred regimen (5): Levofloxacin 500 mg IV or PO qd for 7 to 14 days
• Preferred regimen (6): Moxifloxacin 400 mg PO qd for 10 days.

• Pediatric

• Preferred regimen (1):Erythromycin suspension,PO 50 mg/kg per day for 10 to 14 days
• Preferred regimen (2):Clarithromycin suspension, 15 mg/kg per day for10 days
• Preferred regimen (3): Azithromycin suspension, PO 10 mg/kg once on the first day, followed by 5 mg/kg qd daily for 4 days

Gallery

• 

  Photomicrograph of Chlamydia trachomatis taken from a urethral scrape. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL).

• 

  McCoy cell monolayers with Chlamydia trachomatis inclusion bodies (200X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL).

• 

  McCoy cell monolayers with Chlamydia trachomatis inclusion bodies (50X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL).

• 

  Photomicrograph depicts HeLa cells infected with Type-A Chlamydia trachomatis (400X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL).

• 

  Patient’s left eye with the upper lid retracted in order to reveal the inflamed conjunctival membrane lining the inside of both the upper and lower lids, due to what was determined to be a case of inclusion conjunctivitis caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL).

• 

  From Public Health Image Library (PHIL).

External links

• Chlamydiae.com [1]
• Template:GPnotebook
• article at reuters.com