Immunopathogenesis of Chlamydial Infections

Summary: Nine genitourinary clinics (one teaching hospital and 8 district general hospitals) within the Yorkshire Deanery audited the management of uncomplicated genital chlamydial infections in male and female patients attending between January and December 1995. Standards set included: 100% of chlamydia-positive patients to be treated within 2 weeks of diagnosis; 100% of patients to return for test of cure within one month of treatment; 100% of patients to be referred for contact tracing. Four hundred and thirty-six of a total 1356 cases were audited. Eighty-nine per cent received treatment within 2 weeks; 64% returned for a test of cure within one month; 93% were referred for contact tracing. Changes in practice and a regionwide multidisciplinary audit initiative resulted from the study.

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Pathway-Wide Genetic Risks in Chlamydial Infections Overlap between Tissue Tropisms: A Genome-Wide Association Scan

Mediators of Inflammation ◽

10.1155/2018/3434101 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Chrissy H. Roberts ◽

Sander Ouburg ◽

Mark D. Preston ◽

Henry J. C. de Vries ◽

Martin J. Holland ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Cycle ◽

Chlamydia Trachomatis ◽

Mitotic Cell ◽

Genome Wide Association ◽

Serological Response ◽

Transmitted Infection ◽

Genome Wide ◽

A Genome ◽

Tissue Tropisms ◽

Chlamydial Infections

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most commonly diagnosed bacterial sexually transmitted infection and can lead to tubal factor infertility, a disease characterised by fibrosis of the fallopian tubes. Genetic polymorphisms in molecular pathways involving G protein-coupled receptor signalling, the Akt/PI3K cascade, the mitotic cell cycle, and immune response have been identified in association with the development of trachomatous scarring, an ocular form of chlamydia-related fibrotic pathology. In this case-control study, we performed genome-wide association and pathways-based analysis in a sample of 71 Dutch women who attended an STI clinic who were seropositive for Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies and 169 high-risk Dutch women who sought similar health services but who were seronegative. We identified two regions of within-gene SNP association with Chlamydia trachomatis serological response and found that GPCR signalling and cell cycle pathways were also associated with the trait. These pathway-level associations appear to be common to immunological sequelae of chlamydial infections in both ocular and urogenital tropisms. These pathways may be central mediators of human refractoriness to chlamydial diseases.

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