Chlamydia Flashcards

1
Q

What are the general morphologic characteristics of Chlamydiales?

A
  • Small (0.2 - 0.5 mcm)
  • Obligate intracellular
  • Gram negative
  • Aerobic and pathogenic
  • Stain with Giemsa or other polychromatic stains
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2
Q

How is Chlamydiales transmitted?

A
  • Inhalation
  • Interpersonal contact
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3
Q

How is Chlamydiales cultured?

A
  • Will NOT grow on standard media
    • Relies on host for energy
  • Yolk sac of chicken embryos
  • Vertebrate cell cultures
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4
Q

How is Chlamydiales diagnosed?

A
  • Clinical signs and history
  • Antibodies
  • stained impression smear
  • Molecular techniques
  • Humoral and cell-mediated immunity
  • Persistent infections
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5
Q

How are Chlamydiales infections controlled?

A
  • Vaccine - not available
  • Tetracyclines are very effective
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6
Q

What is the pathogenicity of Chlamydiales?

A
  • Heamaglutinin - may facilitate attachment
  • Cell-mediated immunity
    • tissue damage and inflammation
  • Endotoxin - LPS
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7
Q

What is the life cycle of Chlamydiales?

A
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8
Q

What are the important Chlamydiales species?

A
  • C. psittaci
  • C. abortus
  • C. pecorum
  • C trachomatis
  • C. pneumoniae
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9
Q

What diseases does Chlamydiale cause?

A
  • Depends on the epithelium infected:
    • Pneumonia - reparatory tract
    • Polyarthritis - joints
    • Abortions / sterility - urogenital tract
    • Conjunctivitis - eyes
    • Encephalomyelitis - neuroepithelium
    • Pericarditis / atherosclerosis - heart
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10
Q

What impact does Chlamydiales pittaci have on birds?

A
  • “Psittacosis”, “Parrot fever”, “AC”, “Ornithosis”
  • Systemic illness in companion birds and poultry
    • can cause large economic losses
  • Distributed throughout the world
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11
Q

What are the symptoms of a Chlamydiales psittaci infections in birds?

A
  • Variable - Strain Variations
  • Resemble Mycoplasma infections
  • Depends on bird species and stress factors
  • Signs:
    • Lethargy
    • Anorexia
    • Ruffled feathers
    • Death
    • Ocular / nasal discharge
    • Diarrhea
    • Excretion of green to yellow urates
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12
Q

What are the causative agents behind Buss disease / Sporadi Bovine Encephalomyelitis (SBE)?

A
  • Chlamydiales psittaci
  • Chlamydiales abortus
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13
Q

How does C. psittaci / C. abortus affect Cattle?

A
  • Sporadic Bovine Encephalomyelitis (SBE)
  • Encephalitis, fibrinous pleuritis, peritonitis, arthritis, pneumonia, conjunctivitis
  • Abortion and infertility
  • Could cause great economic loss
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14
Q

What is Buss disease?

A
  • Common in cattle <3 yr
  • Profound depression and fever
    • either recover or die
  • Infected animals tend to walk or stagger in circles
  • Transmitted through milk
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15
Q

How does Chlamydiales psittaci & abortus affect other animals?

A
  • Sheep, Goats, Horses, Cats, Swine, Koalas, Rabbits, Mice
  • Depends on epithelium infected:
    • Pneumonia - Respiratory epithelium
    • Conjunctivitis - Eye mucosal membranes
    • Polyarthritis - Joints
    • Abortion & infertility - urogenital tract
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16
Q

Is Chlamydiales psittaci of Zoonotic?

A
  • YES
  • Fatal pneumonia
17
Q

How is C. psittaci transmitted to humans?

A
  • Transmission:
    • Inhalation from contaminated bird bodily fluids
    • Farm animals
    • Direct person-to-person (rare)
  • Vets, poultry workers, and researchers are high risk
18
Q

What diseases does Chlamydiales pecorum cause?

A
  • Systemic infection in sheep and cattle
    • Sporadic Encephalomyelitis
    • Polyarthritis
    • Diarrhea
19
Q

What human disease is caused by Chlamydiales trachomatis?

A
  • STD chlamydia
    • Most common STD in USA
  • 3 - 4 mil infected each year
  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)- is a serious complication
  • Can pass to newborn
    • conjunctivitis
    • pneumonia
20
Q

What are the symptoms of a human C. trachomatis infection?

A
  • Symptoms are often mild
  • Can be serious an lead to sterility
    • Scarring the tubes
    • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Common cause of blindness
    • Conjunctivitis
21
Q

What human infections are caused with C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae?

A
  • Atherosclerosis (C. trachomatis)
  • Respiratory Disease
    • Clinically resembles ‘Walking Pneumonia’ by Mycoplsma pneumoniae
  • Transmitted by inhalation
22
Q

What animals are infected with C. pneumoniae?

A
  • Koalas
  • Horses
  • Frogs
    • Develop severe, chronic pneumonia and anemia