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Chlamydia Trachomatis Essay example

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Chlamydia Trachomatis

Introduction: Chlamydia Trachomatis is the organism responsible for diseases such as trachoma and the STD Chlamydia. Chlamydia is the most common STD in the United States, with about 4 million new cases diagnosed every year.

The Organism & it’s Life Cycle: Chlamydia are obligate intracellular parasites, and are among the smallest living organisms. There are two stages in the life of Chlamydia: elementary bodies and reticulate bodies. Another feature of Chlamydia is that they are unable to synthesize their own energy (ATP) and are completely dependent on their host for energy. The organism is in the elementary stage of its life when it encounters its host and is taken up by phagocytosis. It prevents the fusion of …show more content…

Encounter, Diseases and Epidemiological Data: The most common way to get Chlamydia is through sexual intercourse with an affected individual. Newborns may get infected by affected mothers during childbirth. Typically, it causes pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women, which is a result of the host’s inflammatory response. Other diseases include ocular infections such as conjunctivitis and blindness. Neonates are especially vulnerable to conjunctivitis and pneumonia if the mother is infected. Trachoma is a disease that is caused by inflammation in the conjunctiva and subsequent scarring of the cornea, which could lead to blindness.

A more serious disease called lymphogranuloma venereum (when Chlamydia cause lesions in the genital mucosa and enter it) is also caused by Chlamydia, but it is not endemic in the developed world. People with Gonorrhoea are susceptible to a chlamydial infection. Females aged 15-24 (USA) are most susceptible to Chlamydia. Incidence rate and prevalence are highest among blacks.

Treatment: The most important form of treatment is prevention, which can be done by discouraging multiple sexual partners, and possibly abstinence from sex for those who are known to be infected. Other forms of prevention would include setting up information programs, especially in inner-city communities, where prevalence of Chlamydia is very high. Chlamydia is difficult to eradicate

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