No abstract available.
Atherosclerosis* ; Chlamydia* ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae*

24 cases of Chlamydia pneumoniae infections in children aged 31,9± 15,4 months were admitted to Pediatric Hospital No 1 from August 15 to October 15/2004. The diagnosis was confirmed by serology and quantifying Chlamydia antibody. Common clinical symptoms were pneumoniae 54,2%, bronchitis 41,7%, tracheobronchitis 4,2%. But the most common were cough, then fever, wheezing, rhinitis, tachypnea and substernal contraction. Result had suggested more attention in the diagnosis and treatment as well as the communicability of the condition
Chlamydophila pneumoniae ; child ; epidemiology

Avian chlamydiosis is caused by Chlamydophila psittaci and considered as one of an important zoonotic disease throughout the world. Among more than 400 avian species including poultry and pet birds susceptible to the disease, psittacine birds were known to be mostly susceptible hosts. In Korea, no outbreak of the disease and genetic analysis of the agent in poultry and pet birds have been reported. With histopathological findings and genetic identification of a causative agent, avian chlamydiosis was identified in parrots submitted from the same pet bird farm in 2006 and 2009 for the diagnosis. Based on genetic sequences and phylogenetic analysis of ompA gene, the two isolates of Chlamydophila psittaci showed 100% of genetic similarity and belonged to genotype A, suggesting that the same agent might be continuously circulated in the farm. This result indicates that serological survey of the disease in pet bird farms and impact of the disease on significance in public health may be further studied.
Birds ; Chlamydophila ; Chlamydophila psittaci ; Genotype ; Korea ; Parrots ; Poultry ; Public Health

Chlamydophila psittaci/genetics* ; Humans ; Pneumonia ; Psittacosis/diagnosis*

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence linking infection with Chlamydophila pneumoniae with vascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction. However, the data remain inconclusive and the clinical importance of C. pneumoniae as vasculopathic is unclear. So, we intend to detect C. pneumoniae in acute myocardial infarction patients by microimmunofluorescence (mIF) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). METHODS: Blood and peripheral mononuclear cells (PMNCs) of 24 myocardial infarction patients and 100 normal controls were collected. Serum were used in mIF and PMNCs in PCR. PMNC sample were tested for C. pneumoniae by 'touchdown 'nested PCR. The first round PCR amplified DNA from both C. pneumoniae and Chlamydophila psittaci, while the second round specially targeted C. pneumoniae allowing the two species to be differentiated. RESULTS: Seropositivity of IgG and IgM anti-Chlamydophila pneumoniae antibody titers were 95.8% and 25% in myocardial infarction patients and 61% and 16% in control group, respectively. Positive rates of PCR of PMNCs were 8.3% in the patients and 15% in control group. CONCLUSION: The results of mIF show that mIF positive rate in myocardial infarction was much higher than control group. So an association between C. pneumoniae and myocardial infarction can be concluded. But the opposite results of PCR of PMNCs needed further studies.
Atherosclerosis ; Chlamydial Pneumonia* ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae* ; Chlamydophila psittaci ; Chlamydophila* ; DNA ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Vascular Diseases

It was generally believed that psittacosis pneumonia (pneumonia caused by Chlamydia psittaci) was rarely combined with pleural effusion and the characteristics of pleural effusion were rarely reported in the domestic literature.Herein,we reported three cases of pleural effusion due to psittacosis pneumonia,with elevated level of adenosine deaminase and lymphocyte-predominant exudative pleural effusion.Further,we reviewed the psittacosis pneumonia reports with complete clinical and lung imaging data.The imaging manifestations included pulmonary consolidation and common occurrence of a small amount of pleural effusion.The patients of psittacosis pneumonia combined with pleural effusion had severe symptoms,obvious hypoxia,and increased risk of invasive ventilation.
Humans ; Psittacosis/diagnosis* ; Chlamydophila psittaci ; Pleural Effusion/diagnosis* ; Pneumonia ; Lymphocytes

BACKGROUND: Although there are growing evidences linking Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection to myocardial infarction, it remains controversial. The authors intended to assess whether C. pneumoniae infection is associated with myocardial infarction. METHODS: Sera and peripheral mononuclear cells (PMNCs) were collected from 54 cases of acute myocardial infarction (MI), 33 cases of old MI, and 60 normal controls. Anti-C.pneumoniae IgG and IgM antibodies were measured using a microimmunofluorescence (mIF) method, and C.pneumoniae DNA was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Seropositivity of anti-C.pneumoniae IgM antibody by mIF was shown 5.0% in control group, 29.6% (OR=8.00) in the acute MI and 6.1% (OR=1.23) in old MI group. Seropositivity of anti C.pneumoniae IgG antibody were 60.0 % in control group, 92.6% (OR=8.33) in the acute MI and 87.9% (OR= 4.83) in old MI group. The antibody titers in the acute MI and old MI group tended to be higher compared to those in control group. No C.pneumoniae DNA was detected in any case by PCR. CONCLUSION: The seropositivity and antibody titers were significantly higher in the acute MI and old MI group than in control group, suggesting that C.pneumoniae infection may be a risk factor for myocardial infarction.
Antibodies ; Chlamydial Pneumonia* ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae* ; Chlamydophila* ; DNA ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Chlamydophila pneumoniae is one of the major respiratory infectious pathogens and can be accurately diagnosed by cell culturing. The author performed this study to compare the usefulness of the collagen-coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) disc culture method and that of the shell vial method. METHODS: Twenty-nine sputums and 17 blood specimens collected from 46 patients for C. pneumoniae culture were inoculated into HeLa-229 cell monolayers cultured in shell vials and polyester plates. After incubation, they were stained using the indirect immunofluorescent method with genus-specific FITC-conjugated anti-chlamydia antibody. When both results were inconsistent, microimmunofluorescence results were used. RESULTS: HeLa-229 cells successfully formed monolayers in shell vials and collagen-coated PET plates in all cases. Positive inclusion bodies in HeLa-229 cells of shell vials and PET plates for C. pneumoniae culture were similarly stained with the indirect immunofluorescent method. Both methods showed consistent results with 20 positive and 22 negative cases. The total agreement between the PET plate and shell vial was excellent (91.3%, k=0.826). CONCLUSION: The collagen-coated PET disc culture method showed highly consistent results with that of the shell vial method, and no technical differences were experienced between the two methods. Therefore, the author concluded that the shell vial method could be replaced by the PET plate method for detection of C. pneumoniae.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Chlamydial Pneumonia ; Chlamydophila ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Phthalic Acids ; Pneumonia ; Polyesters ; Polyethylene ; Polyethylene Terephthalates ; Sputum

PURPOSE: Only a few cases of keratoconjunctivitis caused by Chlamydophila psittaci have been reported worldwide, and no case reported in Korea. We report an atypical case of keratoconjunctivitis caused by Chlamydophila psittaci. CASE SUMMARY: A 34-year-old male patient who had raised a parrot at home presented with three weeks of conjunctival injection and a week of ocular pain in his left eye. There were papillae on the left upper and lower tarsal conjunctiva and punctuate epithelial erosion of the entire cornea. He also complained of dizziness, fever, and dyspnea. Upon chest X-ray, consolidation on the right middle lobe was apparent. The Chlamydophila IgM antibody test was positive, and the pneumonia improved quickly. Nevertheless, signs of keratoconjunctivitis persisted despite 3-week treatment with oral doxycycline. As a result, the patient received an additional 10-day treatment with oral azithromycin. Four weeks after the first visit, symptoms were improving gradually, and, after six weeks, no signs of keratoconjunctivitis remained except minimal erosion. CONCLUSIONS: When patients show keratoconjunctivitis after contact with a bird, prolonged ketatoconjunctivitis by Chlamydophila psittaci should be considered.
Adult ; Azithromycin ; Birds ; Chlamydophila ; Chlamydophila psittaci ; Conjunctiva ; Cornea ; Dizziness ; Doxycycline ; Dyspnea ; Eye ; Fever ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Keratoconjunctivitis ; Korea ; Male ; Parrots ; Pneumonia ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia pneumoniae has recently been established as an important cause of acute respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis in humans. We introduced a 'touchdown' PCR method for detection of C. pneumoniae from sputum. METHODS: A total of 474 patients with respiratory infection were enrolled in the study. The sputum samples were tested for C. pneumoniae by the 'touchdown' PCR and cultured for Chlamydia. The sputum samples were pretreated with 5% NaOH for mucolysis. In 'touchdown' PCR, the first round PCR amplified DNA from both C. pneumoniae and Chlamydia psittaci, while the second round specifically targeted C. pneumoniae, allowing the two species to be differentiated. RESULTS: The 'touchdown' PCR could detect 10-2 inclusion forming unit (IFU) in the 1st round and 10-3 IFU in the second round PCR. None of the C. trachomatis serovars, C. psittaci and other organisms tested was amplified. 'Touchdown' PCR detected C. pneumoniae DNA in 24 (5%) of the 474 sputum samples. Nine patients with C. pneumoniae had community acquired pneumonia. Another nine patients had pulmonary tuberculosis of which three had coexisting pneumonia. Two patients had lung cancer, another two had chronic bronchitis, one had pharyngitis, and one person was a normal healthy individual. CONCLUSIONS: The sputum preparation with 5% NaOH and the 'touchdown' PCR method are effective in the detection of C. pneumoniae. C. pneumoniae is one of the most common causative agents for pulmonary infection.
Bronchitis ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Chlamydia* ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae* ; Chlamydophila psittaci ; DNA ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Pharyngitis ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary