Chlamydial Infections

Question 1

Chlamydiae trachomatis Infections

Answer 1

• most common STD
• Intracellular, cant make ATP -Elementary body attached to cell and becomes endocytosed
• Reticulate body becomes active inside cell, pirates the cell machinery.
• Genital and Neonatal Infections
  
  • Serovars D through K -Asymptomatic in approx 60% women.
  • Inflammation of GU tracts, exudate, PID
  • Generally non lethal, can cause permanent damage to reproductive system.
• Lymphogranuloma Venereum
  
  • Serovars 1 through 3
  • Buboes or abscesses in the groin (inguinal) region where draining lymph nodes are located, progress to necrotizing lymphadenitis.
  • Often seen with HIV.
• Trachoma
  
  • Serovars A,B,C
  • Leading cause of blindness in underdeveloped.
  • Neonatal exposure from mom.
  • Effects eyes: characteristic roughening of the inner surface of the eyelids. -Painful, Can lead to visual impairmnent.

Question 2

Psittacosis (Ornithosis) (Chlamydiae psittaci)

Answer 2

• Spread from Birds in tropics–zoonotic.
• inhalation–atypical pneumonia: no lobar infiltrates
• obligate intracellular pathogen–alveolar cells + macrophages
• Self-limited interstitial pneumonia–alveolar cell lining necrosis and invasion of macrophages
• disseminates–necrosis in liver and spleen and mononuclear infiltrates (macrophages) in heart, kidney and brain. Rose colored spots appear: Horder’s spots
• splenomegaly
• death from complications from hepatitis, endocarditis, myocarditis, encephalitis (<1%)

Question 3

Chlamydia pneumoniae

Answer 3

• obligate intracellular pathogen
• invade epithelial and alveolar cells of lung–necrosis
• atypical pneumonia–bronchopneumonia–no lobar consolidation
• Acute, self-limiting.
• P2P droplet spread.
• fever, sore throat, cough