Chlamydia trachomatis
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Description and significance
Chlamydia trachomatis is a pathogen that causes many serious health threats to humans. Chlamydia is one of the most common STD which is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. An estimated 4 million C. trachomatis infections occur annually among the sexually active population in the United States. The majority of persons with C. trachomatis infection are not aware of their infection because they do not have symptoms. The infection is easily cured if diagnosed, but many infections remain untreated and lead to other illnesses such as infertility in both men and women. Another disease caused by C. trachomatis is trachoma, most common cause of blindness among children in Africa and other developing nations.
Genome structure
The genome of Chlamydia trachomatis contains 1,042,519 base pairs of DNA encoding 938 genes.
Cell structure and metabolism
Chlamydia trachomatis is structurally gram negative and is one of three bacterial species in the genus Chlamydia. It was once thought to be a virus because it could have not been cultured in an artificial medium. C. trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen that lives within human cells and cannot make its own ATP. This means that they are unable to replicate outside of a host cell. The pathogens have evolved a unique biphasic life cycle. They alternate between two functionally and morphologically distinct forms; elementary body and reticular body. Elementary body (EB) is infectious, but metabolically inert (chemically inactive). EB is taken up by host cells, primarily byreceptor-mediated endocytosis. the bacteria prevent fusion of the endosome and lysosome, but the mechanism of this is not known. Inside the endosome, the EB differentiates into a metabolically active but non-infectious form, reticulate body (RB) using energy sources and amino acids from the host cell. RB replicates and ultimately forms new EBs that are capable of infecting additional cells
Ecology
Pathology
Chlamydia trachomatis infection is usually spread by sexual intercourse and can cause numerous diseases in both men and women. Both sexes can display urethritis (an inflammation of the urethra), proctitis (rectal disease and bleeding.) In men, the infection can cause prostatitis (an inflammation of the prostate gland) and epididyitis (an inflammation of the epididymis, which is a long, tightly coiled tube that lies above and behind each testicle.) In women, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is very common. This causes scarring of the uterus and fallopian tubes and often results in infertility. Ectopic pregnancy (fetus develops outside the womb), and acute or chronic pelvic pain are also frequent complications caused by C. trachomatis. Occasionally, C. trachomatis can spread from the genital area and affect the liver and joints. It is also an important neonatal pathogen, where it can lead to infection of the eye and pulmonary complications.
Application to Biotechnology
Current Research
References
Eley, Adrian. 2003. Chlamydia trachomatis is bad for your sperm! Microbiology Today, 30: 61-62