Chlamydia trachomatis

 

 

Chlamydial infection, caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection in the United States and is asymptomatic for 50-70% of those infected. Of those who have an asymptomatic infection that is not detected by their doctor, approximately half will develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a generic term for infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries. PID can cause scarring inside the reproductive organs, which can later cause serious complications, including chronic pelvic pain, difficulty becoming pregnant, ectopic (tubal) pregnancy, and other dangerous complications of pregnancy. Chlamydia causes 250,000 to 500,000 cases of PID every year in the United States.

Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular parasite bacterial pathogens, and are thus unable to replicate outside of a host cell. These pathogens possess a unique biphasic life cycle wherein they alternate between two functionally and morphologically distinct forms.

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References

Text – http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/mayer/chlamyd.htm
Text – http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf07/chlamydia/chlamydiars.htm
Text – http://www.cdc.gov/std/Chlamydia/STDFact-Chlamydia.htm
Text – Stephens, Richard S. (1999). Chlamydia-Intracellular Biology, Pathogenesis, and Immunity. ASM press. 
Text – Stine, G.J. (1992) The Biology of Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Wm C. Brown, USA.
Image – http://webclu.bio.wzw.tum.de/binfo/groups/mewes/chlamydialgenomics 

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