Chlamydia Flashcards
Classify chlamydia
A small, obligate intracellular bacterium
Based on its classification, what kinds of drugs must you use to treat chlamydia?
Drugs that penetrate the human cell membrane
What cell types are involved in chlamydial replication?
1) Elementary Bodies- tiny, infectious, and rugged
2) Reticulate Bodies- After infection by elementary bodies- metabolically active within the host cell
What do reticulate bodies form that are visible on microscopy?
Intracellular inclusion
Describe the replication step of the chlamydial life cycle
Reticulate bodies within the intracellular inclusions multiply by binary fission to form new reticulate bodies and later new elementary bodies
Why is researching chlamydia complicated?
It’s unusual life cycle complicates things
Name a virulence factor of chlamydia and state its cause
T3SS- used for entry and establishing inclusion bodies
Though C. trachomatis causes several human diseases, what is the one we typically think of?
The common urogenital infection
How can we protect ourselves against C. trachomatis infection?
Condoms!
C. pneumoniae, C. psittaci, and C. trachomatis can all cause what condition?
Pneumonia
Treatment of chlamydia is initiated based on what?
Physical findings
Are additional diagnostic tests for chlamydia available? If so, when should you use them?
Yes, additional tests are available and may be desired in carious situations- ex) tissue culture for C. trachomatis in rape victims, serology or MIF to differentiate amongst the pneumonias
How do you treat chlamydia?
Use tetracyclines (doxycycline)
When do you treat chlamydia with something other than tetracyclines (doxycycline)?
In pregnant, pediatric, or allergic patients treat with erythromycin or other alternatives. Follow up testing and retreatment for these patients mat be necessary
