Chlamydia

Question 1

What causes the most common veneral disease in industrialized nations?

Answer 1

Chlamydia (specifically Chlamydia Trachomatis serotypes D through K)

Question 2

Besides VD what else does Chlamydia cause?

Answer 2

Pneumonia, and it may be a risk factor in heart disease

Question 3

Does Chlamydia have a cell wall?

Answer 3

Yes

Question 4

Chlamydia are intracellular. Where in the cell do they grow?

Answer 4

Within vacuoles

Question 5

What is the source of energy used by Chlamydia?

Answer 5

ATP from the host cell (they are intracellular)

Question 6

Three main species of Chlamydia

Answer 6

Psittaci, Pneumoniae, and Trachomatis

Question 7

Elementary Bodies

Answer 7

Small, spore-like forms of chlamydia that are environmentally stable and infectious (they are extracellular)

Question 8

Chlamydia Elementary Bodies (EBs) are used to infect new cells. What type of cells do they have a high affinity for?

Answer 8

Epithelial cells

Question 9

After being engulfed by a host cell, what do Chlamydia Elementary Bodies become?

Answer 9

young Retciulate Bodies (RBs)

Question 10

How do Chlamydia Elementary Bodies which are looking to spread escape the host cell?

Answer 10

By lysing it

Question 11

Give a general rule for the timecourse of chlamydia symptoms relative to infection

Answer 11

Acute infection is typically subclinical, symptoms develop after prolonged (months to years) infection

Question 12

The three main species of Chlamydia are psittaci, pneumoniae, and trachomatis. What type of animal does psittaci infect?

Answer 12

Birds are natural host. Can be tranismitted to humans (poultry workers, vets, etc)

Question 13

How is chlamydia psittaci transmitted?

Answer 13

Inhalation of dust from infected birds (who is grinding up sick birds?)

Question 14

Clinical symptoms of chlamydia psittaci infection in humans

Answer 14

Acute pneumonia with systemic complications, ocassionally fatal (but disease is very rare)

Question 15

Treatment for chlamydia psittaci infection

Answer 15

Tetracycline or erythromycin

Question 16

Of the three major types of chalmydia, which are zoonotic and which are natural to humans?

Answer 16

Psittaci is zoonotic, pneumonia and trachomatis are natural to humans

Question 17

Symptoms of chalmydia pneumoniae infection

Answer 17

Typically asymptomitic, may have mild respiratory disease (mild pharyngitis, bronhicitis, or pneumonia)

Question 18

From the lungs, to where does chlamydia pneumonia infection disseminate?

Answer 18

Spleen and liver

Question 19

Preferred diagnostic techniques for each of the three main chlamydias

Answer 19

Psittaci - Culture and serology, Pneumonia - PCR, serology, culture, Trachomatis - Culture, PCR

Question 20

Treatment for chlamydia pneumoniae infection

Answer 20

Tetracycline or erythromycin (azithryomycin also effective)

Question 21

What is a limitation of antibiotic treatment for chlamydia pneumoniae infection and what is the reason for this?

Answer 21

Must be used for a minimum of 10-14 days because of the slow, chronic nature of this infection

Question 22

Which chlamydia MAY be associated with heart disease?

Answer 22

Chlamydia pneumoniae (OFF: causes 12 percent of outpatient pneumonias)

Question 23

Which of the three main chlamydias is the most important pathogen?

Answer 23

Trachomatis (causes VD)

Question 24

Three major subgroups of chlamydia trachomatis

Answer 24

1) Lymphogranuloma venereum (L1, L2, L3), 2) A group that causes non-sexually transmitted eye infections (A, B, Ba), 3) Group that causes genital disease (adults) and ocular disease and pneumonia (infants) (D-K)

Question 25

Which Chlamydia is a major cause of world blindness and how does it do this?

Answer 25

Chlamydia Trachomatis strains A, B, and Ba. They cause chronic conjuctivitis which leads to ocular trachoma and blindness (blowing sand and flies are bad for you)

Question 26

What is the mode of vertical transmission of chlamydia trachomatis and which of the subgroups does this apply to?

Answer 26

The VD subgroup (serotypes D through K) can be transmitted PERInatally (birth through infected canal)

Question 27

Chlamydia trachomatis infection is often found with what co-infection?

Answer 27

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (esp in dirty, dirty teenagers)

Question 28

A common symptom and complication of chalmydia trachomatis serotype D through K infection in males

Answer 28

Urethritis. Epididymitis can be a complication

Question 29

Most common symptoms of chlamydia trachomatis serotypes D through K infection in females

Answer 29

PID (15-40 pct), Chronic pelvic pain (18 pct), Ectopic pregnancy (9 pct), Infertility (30 pct)

Question 30

How does chlamydia trachomatis cause infertility?

Answer 30

Chronic infection can lead to scarring of the fallopian tubes

Question 31

Most common symptoms in infants who acquire perinatal chlamydia trachomatis infection

Answer 31

Conjunctivitis (30-50 pct), pneumonia (30-50 pct)

Question 32

What specimens can be used to test for chalmydia trachomatis infection?

Answer 32

Urethral swab (not popular with the men), first void urine, anal swabs (sounds like a pirate name), scrapings from eye in eye infection, sputum cultures in pneumonia infants

Question 33

Treatment for chalmydia trachomatis

Answer 33

Doxycycline or azithromycin (second line are erythromycin and ofloxacin or levofloxacin). Erythromycin is drug of choice in infants

Question 34

Symptoms of lymphogranuloma venereum (a chalmydia trachomatis subtype) infection

Answer 34

Unilateral or femoral lymphadenopathy, perinodal inflammation with bubo formation, proctocolitis (if after rectal intercourse)

Question 35

Lymphogranuloma Venereum (a subtype of chalmydia trachomatis) is sexually transmitted. Can it be spread non-sexually and if so where is a common point of entry?

Answer 35

Yes (esp with poor hygiene). Can enter body through the eye