Transcript Chlamydia pneumoniae

J. Anderson F2013
Modified by DYH
Chlamydia pneumoniae
• Obligate Intracellular bacterium
• Causes respiratory infections
including acute pneumonia,
bronchitis, sinusitis and
pharyngitis.
• Occupies intracellular niche,
which makes it able to survive
& multiply
• Gram-negative bacteria
• Exists as Elementary Body (EB)
between hosts
www.cpnhelp.org/publicimages/EBsOnRBCs.jpg
J. Anderson F2013
Modified by DYH
Chlamydia pneumoniae
• Refractory to antibiotic treatment and is associated with
chronic infection, as well as atherosclerotic process linkage.
• Includes a replicative and non-replicative genetic state
of the pathogen.
• Can infect numerous types of cells (eg. Vascular
endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, alveolar epithelial cells,
fibroblasts, mononuclear cells, T-cells and dendritic cells, neuronal glia
cells)
• Inhibits host cell lysis.
• Uses the type III secretion (T3S) apparatus for infection.
http://www.cpnhelp.org/images/graphic22.png