Chlamydia pneumoniae

Chlamydia pneumoniae
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Chlamydiota
Class: Chlamydiia
Order: Chlamydiales
Family: Chlamydiaceae
Genus: Chlamydia
Species:
C. pneumoniae
Binomial name
Chlamydia pneumoniae
Grayston et al. 1989
Synonyms
  • Chlamydophila pneumoniae (Grayston et al. 1989) Everett, Bush & Andersen 1999

Chlamydia pneumoniae[1] is a species of Chlamydia, an obligate intracellular bacterium[2] that infects humans and is a major cause of pneumonia. It was known as the Taiwan acute respiratory agent (TWAR) from the names of the two original isolates – Taiwan (TW-183) and an acute respiratory isolate designated AR-39.[3] Briefly, it was known as Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and that name is used as an alternate in some sources.[4] In some cases, to avoid confusion, both names are given.[5]

Chlamydia pneumoniae has a complex life cycle and must infect another cell to reproduce; thus, it is classified as an obligate intracellular pathogen. The full genome sequence for C. pneumoniae was published in 1999.[6] It also infects and causes disease in koalas, emerald tree boas (Corallus caninus), iguanas, chameleons, frogs, and turtles.

The first known case of infection with C. pneumoniae was a case of conjunctivitis in Taiwan in 1950. There are no known cases of C. pneumoniae in human history before 1950. This atypical bacterium commonly causes pharyngitis, bronchitis, coronary artery disease and atypical pneumonia in addition to several other possible diseases.[7][8]

Micrograph of Chlamydia pneumoniae in an epithelial cell in acute bronchitis: 1 – infected epitheliocyte, 2 – uninfected epitheliocytes, 3 – chlamydial inclusion bodies in cell, 4 – cell nuclei
  1. ^ Everett KD, Bush RM, Andersen AA (April 1999). "Emended description of the order Chlamydiales, proposal of Parachlamydiaceae fam. nov. and Simkaniaceae fam. nov., each containing one monotypic genus, revised taxonomy of the family Chlamydiaceae, including a new genus and five new species, and standards for the identification of organisms". International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology. 49 (2): 415–40. doi:10.1099/00207713-49-2-415. PMID 10319462.
  2. ^ Chlamydia+pneumoniae at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
  3. ^ Mayer G (24 June 2010). "Bacteriology - Chapter Twenty: Chlamydia and Chlamydophila". Bacteriology Section of Microbiology and Immunology On-line. University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Archived from the original on 2014-11-11.
  4. ^ "Chlamydia pneumoniae". Taxonomy Browser. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  5. ^ Appelt DM, Roupas MR, Way DS, Bell MG, Albert EV, Hammond CJ, Balin BJ (2008). "Inhibition of apoptosis in neuronal cells infected with Chlamydophila (Chlamydia) pneumoniae". BMC Neuroscience. 9: 13. doi:10.1186/1471-2202-9-13. PMC 2266938. PMID 18218130.
  6. ^ Kalman S, Mitchell W, Marathe R, Lammel C, Fan J, Hyman RW, Olinger L, Grimwood J, Davis RW, Stephens RS (April 1999). "Comparative genomes of Chlamydia pneumoniae and C. trachomatis". Nature Genetics. 21 (4): 385–9. doi:10.1038/7716. PMID 10192388. S2CID 24629065.
  7. ^ Lang BR (September 15, 1991). "Chlamydia pneumonia as a differential diagnosis? Follow-up to a case report on progressive pneumonitis in an adolescent". Patient Care.
  8. ^ Little L (September 19, 1991). "Elusive pneumonia strain frustrates many clinicians". Medical Tribune: 6.