<i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Serovars from the C-Complex and the B- and C-Related Complexes Are Significantly More Pathogenic than Those from the B-Complex in C3H/HeN but Not in BALB/c Mice
Studies in humans indicate that certain <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> serovars are more pathogenic than others. Specifically, several studies concluded that serovars from the C-complex are more pathogenic than those from the B-complex, although there are reports that do not support this f...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Sukumar Pal Jennifer R. Carmichael Delia F. Tifrea Olga Tatarenkova Luis M. de la Maza |
| author_facet | Sukumar Pal Jennifer R. Carmichael Delia F. Tifrea Olga Tatarenkova Luis M. de la Maza |
| author_sort | Sukumar Pal |
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| description | Studies in humans indicate that certain <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> serovars are more pathogenic than others. Specifically, several studies concluded that serovars from the C-complex are more pathogenic than those from the B-complex, although there are reports that do not support this finding. To investigate these results in an animal model, the eight genitourinary <i>C. trachomatis</i> serovars were tested in two strains of mice: C3H/HeN and BALB/c. These two strains of mice were investigated because C3H/HeN is more susceptible to <i>Chlamydia muridarum</i> infections than BALB/c, indicative of differences in their immunogenetic background. Mice were infected transcervically with 10<sup>5</sup> inclusion forming units of each of the <i>C. trachomatis</i> serovars, and vaginal cultures were collected. To determine the pathogenicity and its impact on fertility, at week seven post-infection, female mice were caged with male mice. In the C3H/HeN mice, significant differences in vaginal shedding and fertility were observed between serovars from the B-complex (D and E) and those from the C-complex (H, I, J) and B- and C-related complexes (G, F, and K). The animals infected with serovars F, G, H, I, J, and K shed less but had significantly more infertility than the mice infected with serovars D or E. The experiments in the BALB/c mice, however, did not show major differences in pathogenicity between the eight <i>C. trachomatis</i> serovars. These results support the findings in humans and emphasize the critical importance of the immunogenetic background of the host on the outcome of <i>C. trachomatis</i> infections. The data imply that management of <i>C. trachomatis</i>-infected patients may require a more personalized approach. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ae1c72de31a6471cb35a6029a5f1d100 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj-art-ae1c72de31a6471cb35a6029a5f1d1002025-01-24T13:44:53ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172025-01-011419710.3390/pathogens14010097<i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Serovars from the C-Complex and the B- and C-Related Complexes Are Significantly More Pathogenic than Those from the B-Complex in C3H/HeN but Not in BALB/c MiceSukumar Pal0Jennifer R. Carmichael1Delia F. Tifrea2Olga Tatarenkova3Luis M. de la Maza4Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical Sciences I, Room D440, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4800, USADepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical Sciences I, Room D440, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4800, USADepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical Sciences I, Room D440, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4800, USADepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical Sciences I, Room D440, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4800, USADepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical Sciences I, Room D440, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4800, USAStudies in humans indicate that certain <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> serovars are more pathogenic than others. Specifically, several studies concluded that serovars from the C-complex are more pathogenic than those from the B-complex, although there are reports that do not support this finding. To investigate these results in an animal model, the eight genitourinary <i>C. trachomatis</i> serovars were tested in two strains of mice: C3H/HeN and BALB/c. These two strains of mice were investigated because C3H/HeN is more susceptible to <i>Chlamydia muridarum</i> infections than BALB/c, indicative of differences in their immunogenetic background. Mice were infected transcervically with 10<sup>5</sup> inclusion forming units of each of the <i>C. trachomatis</i> serovars, and vaginal cultures were collected. To determine the pathogenicity and its impact on fertility, at week seven post-infection, female mice were caged with male mice. In the C3H/HeN mice, significant differences in vaginal shedding and fertility were observed between serovars from the B-complex (D and E) and those from the C-complex (H, I, J) and B- and C-related complexes (G, F, and K). The animals infected with serovars F, G, H, I, J, and K shed less but had significantly more infertility than the mice infected with serovars D or E. The experiments in the BALB/c mice, however, did not show major differences in pathogenicity between the eight <i>C. trachomatis</i> serovars. These results support the findings in humans and emphasize the critical importance of the immunogenetic background of the host on the outcome of <i>C. trachomatis</i> infections. The data imply that management of <i>C. trachomatis</i>-infected patients may require a more personalized approach.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/1/97<i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i>serovarsmicegenital infectionvaginal sheddinginfertility |
| spellingShingle | Sukumar Pal Jennifer R. Carmichael Delia F. Tifrea Olga Tatarenkova Luis M. de la Maza <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Serovars from the C-Complex and the B- and C-Related Complexes Are Significantly More Pathogenic than Those from the B-Complex in C3H/HeN but Not in BALB/c Mice Pathogens <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> serovars mice genital infection vaginal shedding infertility |
| title | <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Serovars from the C-Complex and the B- and C-Related Complexes Are Significantly More Pathogenic than Those from the B-Complex in C3H/HeN but Not in BALB/c Mice |
| title_full | <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Serovars from the C-Complex and the B- and C-Related Complexes Are Significantly More Pathogenic than Those from the B-Complex in C3H/HeN but Not in BALB/c Mice |
| title_fullStr | <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Serovars from the C-Complex and the B- and C-Related Complexes Are Significantly More Pathogenic than Those from the B-Complex in C3H/HeN but Not in BALB/c Mice |
| title_full_unstemmed | <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Serovars from the C-Complex and the B- and C-Related Complexes Are Significantly More Pathogenic than Those from the B-Complex in C3H/HeN but Not in BALB/c Mice |
| title_short | <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Serovars from the C-Complex and the B- and C-Related Complexes Are Significantly More Pathogenic than Those from the B-Complex in C3H/HeN but Not in BALB/c Mice |
| title_sort | i chlamydia trachomatis i serovars from the c complex and the b and c related complexes are significantly more pathogenic than those from the b complex in c3h hen but not in balb c mice |
| topic | <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> serovars mice genital infection vaginal shedding infertility |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/1/97 |
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