Emerging chlamydial infections

Crit Rev Microbiol. 2004;30(2):75-106. doi: 10.1080/10408410490435106.

Abstract

Chlamydiae are important intracellular bacterial pathogens of vertebrates. In the last years, novel members of this group have been discovered: Parachlamydia acanthamoebae and Simkania negevensis seems to be emerging respiratory human pathogens, while Waddlia chondrophila might be a new agent of bovine abortion. Various species have been showed to infect also the herpetofauna and fishes, and some novel chlamydiae are endosymbionts of arthropods. In addition, molecular studies evidenced a huge diversity of chlamydiae from both environmental and clinical samples, most of such a diversity could be formed by novel lineages of chlamydiae. Experimental studies showed that free-living amoebae may support multiplication of various chlamydiae, then could play an important role as reservoir/vector of chlamydial infections. Here we reviewed literature data concerning chlamydial infections, with a particular emphasis on the novely described chlamydial organisms.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Spontaneous / etiology
  • Animals
  • Arthropods / microbiology
  • Central Nervous System Diseases / microbiology
  • Chlamydia Infections* / complications
  • Chlamydia Infections* / diagnosis
  • Chlamydia Infections* / transmission
  • Chlamydiales / classification
  • Chlamydiales / isolation & purification*
  • Chlamydiales / pathogenicity
  • Disease Reservoirs
  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Eye Infections / microbiology
  • Female Urogenital Diseases / complications
  • Female Urogenital Diseases / microbiology
  • Fishes / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Male Urogenital Diseases
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / analysis
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Reptiles / microbiology
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / microbiology
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / transmission
  • Symbiosis

Substances

  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S