The Pathology of Chlamydia: Chlamydia is a bacterium. For decades it is plaguing human kind. It is the leading cause of blindness among people all over the world. It is also the leading sexual transmitted disease in the world.
Four different species of Chlamydia and their methods of infections have been identified.
- They include the Chlamydia trachomatis; this is common among human beings.
- The second specie is the Chlamydia Suis, this is common to swine.
- The third specie is the pecorum, and this is seen in pigs, koalas and in insects.
- The fourth is the muridarum; this affects hamsters and mice.
The Pathology of Chlamydia
This bacterium infects humans in different ways. It is seen as the major causes of bronchitis and pneumonia among people. Research has further shown that it is the cause medical conditions like multiple sclerosis as well as arthrosclerosis. It is linked with infertility and blindness. There is an indication that the bacteria could cause heart disease. There is no conclusive research on this.
Today it is believed that more than fifty million people report the case of these bacteria infections annually. There are different methods of transmitting these bacteria. The most common form of transmission is secretions. The part of the body it infects most is the mucous membranes such as the rectum, cervix, conjunctiva, throat, and urethra and so on.
Perhaps the worst infection of these bacteria can lead to total blindness. One known cause of blindness is trachoma and the chlamydia bacteria are responsible for this. Normally this is transmitted through either eye discharge or some of the eye-seeking flies.
As said it is the cause of some STD’s. The worrying thing about this is that a greater percentage of men and women are asymptomatic, and few of them are aware of this problem. It causes infertility in both men and women. Women suffering from that problem are likely to suffer from PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) as well as ectopic pregnancy and finally infertility. Some recent research on the bacteria has revealed that women with this infection are likely to contract HIV. In case of men, it contributes to male infertility by weakening the sperm. When the sperm health is affected, it would not be active which it could not impregnate a woman.
There are no common symptoms associated with Chlamydia infections. However, it is believed that when men experience a burning sensation when they are urinating, it could be a sign such a person is suffering from that. For women, the possible symptoms are itching and body odor. There are other causes of these symptoms as well. A medical test will confirm whether a patient is suffering from it or not.
However, to further proof that a patient is suffering from it for both sexes, there is a possibility that sebum production could increase. This is always the case when the infection escalates. When this happens, it is likely that the sweats will turn greasy. The problem with this is that the patients are often misdiagnosed because there are other causes of this such as acne. The best way to determine whether a patient is suffering from Chlamydia is to subject such a patient to a medical test. Usually such a patient could be subjected to either a culture test or a non-culture test
The Genome Structure of Chlamydia
Chlamydia exists in two different structures, which include the reticulated body and the elementary body. It is in an elementary body when the non-replicating disease particles are released from an infected cell. This is when these bacteria could spread from one person to another through infection. When it is in the elementary body, the size could be about 0.25 to 0.3μm. It is usually in the form of these species Chlamydia Trachomatis, Chlamydia Pneumoniae, and Chlamydia Psittaci.
Furthermore, the elementary form of Chlamydia has an RNA polymerase. This is responsible for the easy transcription to DNA after it has entered to another cell and actually starts to grow. Upon entering into the host cell, the elementary body starts endocytosis. There is the need to treat it in time because it will continue to spread through sexual intercourse.
The other form of Chlamydia is the reticulated body. This is the time of growth and replication of the bacteria. At this stage, it is larger than the elementary body. The size could be about 0.5μm at least. This is the structure the bacteria are transcribed to the RNA. At this stage, the bacteria multiply by a process called binary fusion. The fusion could last for a few hours after which it would revert to its elementary form before it is released through exocytose. Early detection and treatment remain the best way to avoid the consequences of Chlamydia.
