Beschreibung
During recent decades, it has been firmly documented that chlamydiae are com mon and important pathogens in humans and animals. In humans, chlamydiae are known to cause trachoma (which is still one of the major blinding diseases in the world) and are also one of the most common etiological agents of sexually transmitted diseases and the sequelae thereof, such as infertility. In the last few years, it has also become evident that chlamydiae, i.e., the so-called TWAR agents, are common respiratory tract pathogens. Chlamydiae are also important pathogens in birds and lower mammals, in whom they cause a variety of infectious conditions, a spectrum which has in creased every year. Some of these infections occur as zoonoses, e.g., psit tacosis/ornithosis and, as recently discovered, abortion. Know ledge of the molecular biology and immunobiology of chlamydiae has expanded rapidly during recent years. Insight into the pathophysiology of chla mydial infections has also increased, and new methods for the diagnosis of chlamydial infections have been introduced. The importance of establishing control and preventive programs for chla mydial infections has become obvious in order to combat the present chlamydial epidemic. We hope that this book can usefully serve those who want to increase their general knowledge of Chlamydia and that it can act as a handbook and reference source for those involved in chlamydial research as well as for those working with chlamydial infections in medical and veterinary clinical disciplines, includ ing clinical laboratories.
Autorenporträt
InhaltsangabeI. Introduction.- 1. A Historical Outline.- Clinical Spectrum of Chlamydial Diseases.- Diagnosis of Chlamydial Infections.- Molecular Biology of Chlamydiae.- Landmarks in Chlamydiology.- The Future.- II. Microbiology, Immunopathology, and Animal Models.- 2. The Chlamydiae.- Classification.- Morphology and Replication.- Antigenic Composition.- Genetics.- 3. Pathology of Chlamydial Infections.- Cytology.- Histopathology.- 4. Immune Response.- Humoral and Local Immune Response.- Cell-Mediated Immune Response.- 5. Animal Models.- Guinea Pigs.- Mice.- Cats.- Monkeys.- Koalas.- III. Diagnosis.- 6. Diagnosis of Chlamydial Infections.- Isolation.- Host-Parasite Interactions.- Cell Lines and Comparison of Cell Treatments.- Tissue Culture Medium.- Centrifugation.- Vials/Microtiter Plates.- Sampling Sites.- Blind Passages.- Detection of Chlamydial Inclusions.- Incubation.- Sensitivity of Culture.- Factors Interfering with Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis.- Toxic Sampling Swabs.- Inhibitory Body Fluid Constituents.- Toxic Glass and Plastic Wares.- Transport and Storage Conditions.- Microbial Superinfection.- Diagnosis of Chlamydial Infections by Direct Analyses of Clinical Samples.- Detection of Chlamydial Particles by Staining Procedures.- Giemsa Staining.- Iodine Staining.- Papanicolaou Staining.- Immunoperoxidase Staining.- Immunofluorescence Tests.- Detection of Chlamydial Antigen.- Enzyme Immunoassays.- Other Immunoassays.- Electron Microscopy.- Detection of Chlamydial Nucleic Acid.- General Remarks on the Clinical Value of "Rapid" Diagnostic Tests.- Serology.- Complement Fixation.- Microimmunofluorescence.- Inclusion Immunofluorescence.- Enzyme Immunoassays.- Other Tests.- Occurrence of Antichlamydial Antibodies, and General Remarks on the Interpretation of Serological Chlamydial Tests.- IV. Antibiosis and Vaccines.- 7. Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing.- 8. Susceptibility of Chlamydiae to Different Antimicrobials.- Overview.- Sulfonamides.- Penicillins.- Cephalosporins.- Tetracyclines.- Macrolides.- Rifampins.- Quinolones.- Clindamycin.- Some Drugs with Poor Activity against C. trachomatis.- 9. Body Fluid Constituents with Antichlamydial Activity.- 10. Persistence, Relapses, and Reinfections of Chlamydial Infections.- 11. Vaccines.- V. Chlamydia trachomatis Infections.- 12. Trachoma.- Epidemiology.- Immunopathology.- Staging and Clinical Diagnosis.- Clinical Findings.- Laboratory Diagnosis.- Prevention and Treatment.- 13. Genital and Associated Infections in the Male.- Nongonococcal Urethritis (NGU) and Postgonococcal Urethritis (PGU).- Epidemiology.- Diagnosis of Urethritis.- Clinical Findings.- Diagnosis of Chlamydial Urethritis.- Treatment.- Sequelae.- Epididymitis.- Epidemiology.- Clinical Findings.- Diagnosis.- Treatment.- Sequelae.- Prostatitis.- Proctitis.- 14. Genital Tract and Associated Infections in the Female.- Acute Urethral Syndrome.- Epidemiology.- Clinical Findings.- Diagnosis.- Therapy.- Vaginitis/Vaginosis.- Mucopurulent Cervicitis.- Epidemiology.- Diagnosis of Cervicitis.- Histopathology.- Diagnosis of Chlamydial Cervicitis.- Therapy.- Endometritis.- Epidemiology.- Histopathology.- Chlamydial Endometritis.- Correlation between Endometritis and Salpingitis.- Diagnosis.- Therapy.- Salpingitis.- Epidemiology.- Diagnosis of Salpingitis.- Clinical Findings.- Diagnosis of Chlamydial Salpingitis.- Therapy.- Sequelae.- Chronic or Subclinical Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.- 15. Infertility.- Epidemiology.- Pathogenetic Mechanisms.- Role of Chlamydia trachomatis Infections.- 16. Periappendicitis.- Epidemiology.- Clinical Findings.- Diagnosis.- Therapy.- 17. Peritonitis and Perihepatitis.- Epidemiology.- Immunopathology.- Diagnosis.- Therapy.- 18. Adverse Pregnancy Outcome.- 19. Postpartum Endometritis.- 20. Tubal (Ectopic) Pregnancy.- 21. Contraceptive Use and Infection by Chlamydia trachomatis.- 22. Concomitant Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Other Genital Pathogens, and Treatment of Mixed
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E-Mail: juergen.hartmann@springer.com
