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Pathogen Page

Chlamydia trachomatis

I. General Information

1. NCBI Taxonomy ID:

2. Disease:

Chlamydia

3. Introduction

Sexually transmitted Chlamydia trachomatis infection is a widespread public health concern because of its prevalence and potentially devastating reproductive consequences, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Although the pathologic consequences of infection are well established, the mechanism(s) of chlamydia-induced tissue damage are not fully understood (Darville and Hiltke, 2010).

4. Host Ranges and Animal Models

Chlamydia infects humans and there are established animal models in mice and guinea pigs (Darville and Hiltke, 2010).

5. Host Protective Immunity

Mouse and guinea pig models show that the response to primary chlamydial in fection occurs within 1–2 days of infection and is characterized by mucosal infiltration with neutrophils and modest numbers of monocytes. Neutrophils are recruited in large numbers to the site of infection and are capable of killing accessible elementary bodies. Later, T cells accumulate at the site of chlamydial infection and play a critical role in controlling the infection (Darville and Hiltke, 2010).

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