Geisler W M, Suchland R J, Rockey D D, Stamm W E
Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, Washington, USA.
J Infect Dis. 2001 Oct 1;184(7):879-84. doi: 10.1086/323340. Epub 2001 Aug 22.
Unique Chlamydia trachomatis strains characterized by multiple nonfusing inclusions were recently described. These strains lack evidence of the protein IncA in the inclusion membrane and have mutations in the incA gene. This study evaluated the epidemiology and clinical manifestations of patients infected with nonfusing mutant strains (case patients) and compared them with patients infected with wild-type fusing strains (control subjects). Both male and female case patients had fewer signs of infection than did control subjects (P=.016 and P=.019, respectively). Female case patients also had fewer symptoms of infection (P=.02). Median inclusion-forming unit (ifu) counts were lower in male and female case patients (P=.045 and P=.135, respectively). Thus, nonfusing strains of C. trachomatis more often produce subclinical infections than do normal fusing strains and have lower median ifu counts. From a prevention perspective, the data underscore the importance of screening programs to detect and treat inapparent C. trachomatis infection.
最近描述了具有多个不融合包涵体特征的独特沙眼衣原体菌株。这些菌株在包涵体膜中缺乏IncA蛋白的证据，并且在incA基因中存在突变。本研究评估了感染不融合突变菌株的患者（病例患者）的流行病学和临床表现，并将其与感染野生型融合菌株的患者（对照受试者）进行比较。男性和女性病例患者的感染迹象均少于对照受试者（分别为P = 0.016和P = 0.019）。女性病例患者的感染症状也较少（P = 0.02）。男性和女性病例患者的包涵体形成单位（ifu）计数中位数较低（分别为P = 0.045和P = 0.135）。因此，沙眼衣原体的不融合菌株比正常融合菌株更常产生亚临床感染，并且ifu计数中位数较低。从预防角度来看，数据强调了筛查计划对检测和治疗隐性沙眼衣原体感染的重要性。
