Chlamydiae

[SarahLonglands]

This is from the Univesity of Texas Medical Branch, part of a slightly out of date microbook, but still very interesting, explaining the differences between the different chlamydiae and with some very good diagrams and micrographs. It was written by a well regarded virologist, Yechiel Becker of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem and was written before CPn had even been considered as maybe having a link to the development of MS.......Sarah

http://gsbs.utmb.edu/microbook/ch039.htm

Pathogenesis

Spread of Agents

Human diseases caused by chlamydiae can be divided into two types: (1) chlamydial agents transmitted by direct contact (C trachomatis genital and ocular infections, C pneumoniae ocular infection) and (2) chlamydial agents that are transmitted by the respiratory route (C psittaci and C pneumoniae.)

The spread of C trachomatis from person to person may cause trachoma, inclusion conjunctivitis, or lymphogranuloma venereum. Transmission of C trachomatis from the urogenital tract to the eyes and vice versa occurs via contaminated fingers, towels, or other fomites and, in neonates, by passage through an infected birth canal. These diseases appear in an epidemic form in populations with low standards of hygiene. Chlamydia trachomatis genital infections are sexually transmitted. Chlamydia psittaci is transmitted from infected birds or animals to humans through the respiratory tract. Chlamydia pneumoniae spreads from infected individuals by respiratory tract infections hut is not sexually transmitted.