Kleemola M, Saikku P, Visakorpi R, Wang S P, Grayston J T
National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
J Infect Dis. 1988 Feb;157(2):230-6. doi: 10.1093/infdis/157.2.230.
Four epidemics of pneumonia in military trainees in Finland have been shown, by microimmunofluorescence serology, to have been caused by TWAR, a recently described, unique Chlamydia organism. The epidemics occurred in four different garrisons from 1957 to 1985. Each lasted approximately six months, and epidemics occurred during all seasons of the year. The attack rate varied from 60 to 80 per 1000 men. Routine laboratory tests for respiratory agents suggested that these epidemics represented the only clusters of patients since 1970 who were positive for antibody to Chlamydia by complement fixation. From these epidemics, 62 of 70 paired sera that were positive for Chlamydia had antibody diagnostic of recent TWAR infection. Although the conscripts with pneumonia were hospitalized, the illnesses were relatively mild, and none were life threatening. Three conscripts had two episodes of TWAR pneumonia separated by three weeks to three months. Prompt treatment with tetracycline depressed the antibody response.
通过微量免疫荧光血清学方法已证实，芬兰军事受训人员中发生的四起肺炎疫情是由TWAR引起的。TWAR是一种最近才被描述的独特衣原体生物体。这些疫情发生在1957年至1985年期间的四个不同驻军地。每次疫情持续约六个月，且全年各季节均有发生。发病率为每1000人中有60至80人患病。针对呼吸道病原体的常规实验室检测表明，这些疫情代表了自1970年以来通过补体结合试验衣原体抗体呈阳性的唯一患者群体。在这些疫情中，70对衣原体呈阳性的血清中有62对具有诊断近期TWAR感染的抗体。虽然患肺炎的应征入伍者住院治疗，但病情相对较轻，无一例危及生命。三名应征入伍者在三周到三个月的间隔期内出现了两次TWAR肺炎发作。用四环素及时治疗抑制了抗体反应。
