Chlamydia pneumoniae TWAR is a newly recognized Chlamydia species that is a pathogen of respiratory tract infection. To clarify the endemic status of C. pneumoniae in Japan, we evaluated the incidence of C. pneumoniae antibody in 1,330 serum samples (660 from outpatients, 600 from normal individuals, and 70 from cord blood). The antibody titer was determined by a microimmunofluorescence test by...

To determine whether Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) infection is associated with hypertension in Japanese adults, we measured serum levels of IgA (a marker of reinfection) and of IgG (a marker of previous infection) antibodies to C. pneumoniae by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 112 adults including normotensive and untreated hypertensive subjects and in 117 hypertensive subjects who ...

The authors investigated the frequency and quantity of intrathecal antibody synthesis against Chlamydia pneumoniae and the presence of C pneumoniae antigen in 25 children with MS. C pneumoniae genome was present in two children. In seven children an intrathecal synthesis of C pneumoniae antibodies was detected, representing only a small part of the total intrathecal immunoglobulin G, suggesting...

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common human and animal pathogen associated with a wide range of diseases. Since the first isolation of C. pneumoniae TWAR in 1965, all human isolates have been essentially clonal, providing little evolutionary insight. To address this gap, we investigated the genetic diversity of 30 isolates from diverse geographical locations, from both human and animal origin (amphi...

To clarify the endemic status of Chlamydia pneumoniae in Korea, the incidence of antibodies in 564 serum samples from healthy individuals, patients with respiratory infection, and cord blood specimens was evaluated. We conclude that C. pneumoniae infection is highly endemic in Korea and that this infection is associated with acute respiratory diseases.

To establish a novel method for the efficient isolation of Chlamydia pneumoniae, experiments were performed to determine the effects of EDTA or trypsin treatment of C. pneumoniae on its adsorption and inclusion body formation. Treatment of C. pneumoniae with 0.1% trypsin or 1 mM EDTA significantly increased inclusion body-forming activity from 8,000- to 10,000-fold higher than that of the contr...

The in vitro activity of NVP-PDF386 (VRC4887), a novel new peptide deformylase inhibitor, and those of levofloxacin and clarithromycin were tested against 21 isolates of Chlamydia pneumoniae. The MIC at which 90% of the isolates were inhibited and the minimal bactericidal concentration at which 90% of the isolates were killed by NVP-PDF386 for all isolates of C. pneumoniae were 0.008 micro g/ml...

We isolated a Mycoplasma hominis-like mycoplasma from a stock culture of Chlamydia pneumoniae TW-183 obtained from the American Type Culture Collection and eradicated the contaminant by treating the stock suspension with a nonionic detergent, Igepal CA-630. The M. hominis-like mycoplasma neither inhibits nor enhances the infectivity of C. pneumoniae for HEp-2 cells.

PURPOSE Besides well-defined environmental causes, accumulating evidence suggests that respiratory tract infections play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. Among these Chlamydia pneumoniae infection has been discussed as possibly inducing the development of asthma. METHODS This study was designed to investigate the presence of anti chlamydial IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies by ELIS...

Free-living wild birds worldwide act as reservoir for Chlamydia psittaci, but the risk of transmission to humans through contact with wild birds has not been widely documented. From 12 January to April 9 2013, a total of 25 cases of psittacosis were detected in southern Sweden, about a threefold increase compared with the mean of the previous 10 years. A matched case-control study investigating...