6 STIs: chlamydia Flashcards
(36 cards)
what type of organisms are chlamydia?
obligate intracellular bacteria
what are the implications of chlamydia being an obligate intracellular bacteria?
they do not grow on routine laboratory media - has implications for diagnostic methods
what is the infective form of chlamydia?
the elementary body, which develops within the host cell into the reticulate body (having network of veins etc.)
what happens to the reticulate bodies of chlamydia which developed within host cells from elementary bodies?
reticulate body replicates eventually reverting back to elementary bodies, which leave the cell to infect other cells (process begins again)
how does chlamydia in females commonly present?
asymptomatic
where do the chlamydia organism in females infect and replicate?
infects and replicates within the epithelium of the cervix and urethra
what can ascending infections of chlamydia in females lead to?
if involves the upper genital tract, can result in clinical / subclinical pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
how do PID from ascending infections of chlamydia involving upper genital tract present?
as endometritis / salpingitis
what is a rare complication of PID from ascending chlamydia infection resulting in PID?
perihepatitis
what is perihepatitis?
inflammation of the serous or peritoneal coating of the liver
how do most cervical infections present?
asymptomatic
what is cervical infection an important cause of?
mucopurulent cervicitis
what can urethral infection lead to?
‘acute urethral’ syndrome = a sequel of urethral infection
how does urethral infection present?
dysuria (pain) and frequency
which age group do urethral infections most commonly present in?
young sexually active women
what is the most important cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in the western world?
chlamydia trachomatis
what is the major complication of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)?
tubal damage leading to infertility and ectopic pregnancy
what is a well-established cause of perihepatitis?
neisseria gonorrhoea
Chlamydia trachomatis also has a role to play
how does chlamydia infection in men usually present?
as urethritis
what is Reiters syndrome?
urethritis, conjunctivitis and arthritis are the classical triad manifestations associated with this syndrome
which gender is Reiters syndrome predominantly in?
male patients
what is Reiters syndrome a complication of?
acute epididymitis
what can Chlamydia trachomatis commonly cause in sexually active individuals?
ocular infections
eye infections
what is a source of Chlamydia trachomatis in neonate?
cervical infection in pregnant women
