Chlamydiosis Flashcards
What is the structure of chlamydia?
- Two membranes
- truncated lipopolysaccharides
- absence of peptidoglycan
What type of bacteria is chlamydia?
Obligate intracellular bacteria
What are the general characteristics of chlamydia?
- Non-motile Coccoid shaped
- Have extra chromosones present
- lack ATP-generating ability- therefore rely on the host
What are the three states in the chlamydia development cycle?
- Elementary bodies
- Reticular bodies
- Aberrant bodies
What two infections can Chlamydia trachomitis cause?
Ocular and Urogenital
What causes enzootic abortion in ewes?
Chlamydia abortus
* a disease of intensively mananged flocks
* commonly introduced via replacement ewes
What causes feline chlamydiosis?
Chlamydia felis
What are the clinical signs of Feline Chlamydiosis?
- Conjunctivitis, rhinitis in cats
- ocular discharge in the secondary infections
What causes bovine chlamydia?
Sporadic bovine encephalomyelitis
Chlamydia pecorum
What primarily causes Chlamydia in koalas?
C.pecorum
What are the clinical signs of Chlamydia in Koalas?
- Ocular and Urogenital tract disease
- Kerato-conjunctivitis
- UTI’s/ wet-bottom potential for infertility in males and females
What causes avian chlamydia?
Chlamydia psittaci
What are the clinical signs of avian chlamydia?
- Generalised infection
- digestive/ respiratory infection
- loss of condition, nasal discharge, diarrhoea, respiratory distress
What is the best way to treat avian chlamydia?
- Tetracyclines, an extended course over several weeks
- there is no commercial vaccine
What does Chlamydia pneumoniae in humans cause?
severe upper and lower respiratory infections
What chlamydia subspecies causes infection in humans?
C.trachomatis
What Chlamydia subspecies causes infection in koalas and humans?
C.pneumoniae
When are persistent/ aberrant EB’s induced?
Under adverse environmental conditions
1. Sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics
2. Host immune response is triggered
once conditions are gone they go back to reticulate
What does C.trachomatis cause in the eyes of humans?
Trachoma = infection of the conjunctival epithelium
What is trachomatous trichiasis
caused by C.trachomatis
eyelashes rub against the eyeballs causing corneal scarring
How is C.trachomatis usually transmitted?
It is transmitted via person-person contact with discharge from the eyes/nose
What does C.trachomatis cause in females?
Urogenital infections
- Urethritis
- Cervicitis
- Pelvic inflammatory disorder
- ectopic pregnancy
- postpartum fever
What does C. Trachomatis cause in males?
Urogenital Infection
- Urethritis
- Mild Burning
- White discharge from the penis
What Chlamydia subtype causes Reiter’s syndrome?
Chlamydia Trachomatis
What is the treatment for LGV?
Caused by Chlamydia Trachomatis
- Tetracycline for 21 days
What is the treatment for the ocular and genital infections
Caused by Chlamydia Trachomatis
azithromycin
or doxycycline for 7 days
How does enzootic abortion of ewes occur when new ewes are added onto the farm?
- bacteria shed from placental/ uterine discharge
- bacteria remain live at low temperatures
What is the pathogenesis of EAE?
- The reservoir is unknown
- Bacteria are detected at 90 days gestation
- they target the trophoblast layer ( inflammation, vasculitis, necrosis)
What is EAE abortion due to?
- reduced efficacy of the foetal-maternal exchange
- disruption of endocrine function
- disrupted immune balance (immune expulsion of the foetus)
What are the four main clinical signs of EAE?
- Abortion Storms in Housed Flocks (5-10%)
- Enzootic abortion in the last three weeks of pregnancy
- Most of the aborted lambs appear fresh and ‘well-developed’
- Dirty Pink Uterine Discharge
What are the 4 main ways you can treat/ control Chlamydia?
- Antibiotics (oxytetracycline)
- Biosecurity/ Isolation (destroy bedding and aborted materials)
- Vaccination (live/ attenuated)
- Culling
In what age of cats is feline chlamydia most common?
Cats below a year of age
When does mucopurulent ocular discharge occur in feline chlamydiosis?
- Secondary Infections
- Mycoplasma felis/ Staphylococci
What are the clinical signs of sporadic bovine encephalyomyelitis?
Clinical signs
* high fever
* lack of coordination
* depression
* excessive salivation
* diarrhoea
What are the three main clinical signs of chlamydia in koalas?
- Ocular and Urogenital tract disease
- Kerato-Conjunctivitis- leading to blindness
- UTI’s (wet bottom)
What is avian chalmydiosis typically induced by?
Typically induced by stress
What are the three main clinical signs of avian chlamydiosis?
- Generalised infection
- Digestion/ Respiratory Infection
- loss of condition, nasal and ocular discharge, diarrhoea, respiratory distress
What is the main treatment of avian chlamydiosis?
- Tetracyclines, extended course over several weeks
- there is no commercial vaccine
What can Chlamydia Pneumoniae cause?
- Causes severe upper and lower respiratory infection
- has a very widespread host range
- long incubation period
What do aberrant bodies have?
- Altered transcription of membrane proteins
- Enhanced resistance to antibiotics
The removal of stress allows development
persistence can lead to treatment failure
What do all types of chlamydia cause?
Reiters disease/ Reactive arthritis
What does chlamydia type L1-3 cause?
Lymphogranuloma venereum
