Skip to main content
PMC home page
The British Journal of Ophthalmology logoLink to The British Journal of Ophthalmology
. 1978 Aug;62(8):509–515. doi: 10.1136/bjo.62.8.509

Antichlamydial antibody in tears and sera, and serotypes of Chlamydia trachomatis isolated from schoolchildren in Southern Tunisia.

J D Treharne, R S Dwyer, S Darougar, B R Jones, T Daghfous
PMCID: PMC1043275  PMID: 687547

Abstract

A predominance of TRIC serotype A has been isolated from schoolchildren in a population in Southern Tunisia with severe hyperendemic trachoma. The serotyping results correspond precisely with the serological findings in patients' tears and sera. Geometric mean titres of serum or tear antibody in defined populations or areas can thus give a useful indication of the prevalent serotypes. Collection of tear fluids on sponges is a more practical method than collection by filter paper strips and gives higher levels of antibody. The presence of antibody to Chlamydia trachomatis in tears correlates well with the presence of infectious agent in the eye and with the intensity of conjunctival inflammatory disease. The measurement of antichlamydial tear antibody can thus provide a meaningful index of the prevalence and intensity of active trachoma in a population. The role these antibodies may play in resistance to re-infection is not yet clear.

Full text

PDF
513

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Briones O. C., Hanna L., Jawetz E., Dawson C. R., Ostler H. B. Type-specific antibodies in human Chlamydia trachomatis infections of the eye. J Immunol. 1974 Oct;113(4):1262–1270. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Darougar S., Jones B. R. Conjunctival swabbing for the isolation of TRIC agent (Chlamydia). Br J Ophthalmol. 1971 Sep;55(9):585–590. doi: 10.1136/bjo.55.9.585. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Darougar S., Treharne J. D., Dwyer R. S., Kinnison J. R., Jones B. R. Isolation of TRIC agent (Chlamydia) in irradiated McCoy cell culture from endemic trachoma in field studies in Iran. Comparison with other laboratory tests for detection of Chlamydia. Br J Ophthalmol. 1971 Sep;55(9):591–599. doi: 10.1136/bjo.55.9.591. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dawson C. R., Daghfous T., Messadi M., Hoshiwara I., Schachter J. Severe endemic trachoma in Tunisia. Br J Ophthalmol. 1976 Apr;60(4):245–252. doi: 10.1136/bjo.60.4.245. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dawson C. R., Daghfous T., Messadi M., Hoshiwara I., Vastine D. W., Yoneda C., Schacter J. Severe endemic trachoma in tunisia. II. A controlled therapy trial of topically applied chlortetracycline and erythromycin. Arch Ophthalmol. 1974 Sep;92(3):198–203. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1974.01010010206003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Dawson C. R., Jones B. R., Darougar S. Blinding and non-blinding trachoma: assessment of intensity of upper tarsal inflammatory disease and disabling lesions. Bull World Health Organ. 1975;52(3):279–282. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dwyer R. S., Treharne J. D., Jones B. R., Herring J. Chlamydial infection. Results of micro-immunofluorescence tests for the detection of type-specific antibody in certain chlamydial infections. Br J Vener Dis. 1972 Dec;48(6):452–459. doi: 10.1136/sti.48.6.452. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hanna L., Jawetz E., Briones O. C., Keshishyan H., Hoshiwara I., Ostler H. B., Dawson C. R. Antibodies to TRIC agents in tears and serum of naturally infected humans. J Infect Dis. 1973 Jan;127(1):95–98. doi: 10.1093/infdis/127.1.95. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hanna L., Jawetz E., Nabli B., Hoshiwara I., Ostler B., Dawson C. Titration and typing of serum antibodies in TRIC infections by immunofluorescence. J Immunol. 1972 Jan;108(1):102–107. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Jones B. R. Laboratory tests for chlamydial infection. Their role in epidemiological studies of trachoma and its control. Br J Ophthalmol. 1974 Apr;58(4):438–454. doi: 10.1136/bjo.58.4.438. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Jones B. R. The prevention of blindness from trachoma. Trans Ophthalmol Soc U K. 1975 Apr;95(1):16–33. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Jones B. R., Treharne J. D. Micro-immunofluorescence type-specific serological tests for chlamydial infection applied to psittacosis, ornithosis, lymphogranuloma venereum, trachoma, paratrachoma and 'nonspecific' urethritis. Proc R Soc Med. 1974 Aug;67(8):735–736. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. McComb D. E., Nichols R. L. Antibody type specificity to trachoma in eye secretions of saudi arab children. Infect Immun. 1970 Jul;2(1):65–68. doi: 10.1128/iai.2.1.65-68.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Murray E. S., Charbonnet L. T., MacDonald A. B. Immunity to chlamydial infections of the eye. I. The role of circulatory and secretory antibodies in resistance to reinfection with guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis. J Immunol. 1973 Jun;110(6):1518–1525. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Philip R. N., Casper E. A., Gordon F. B., Quan A. L. Fluorescent antibody responses to chlamydial infection in patients with lymphogranuloma venereum and urethritis. J Immunol. 1974 Jun;112(6):2126–2134. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Treharne J. D., Darougar S., Jones B. R. Characterization of a further microimmunofluorescence serotype of Chlamydia: TRIC type G. Br J Vener Dis. 1973 Jun;49(3):295–300. doi: 10.1136/sti.49.3.295. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Treharne J. D., Darougar S., Jones B. R. Modification of the microimmunofluorescence test to provide a routine serodiagnostic test for chlamydial infection. J Clin Pathol. 1977 Jun;30(6):510–517. doi: 10.1136/jcp.30.6.510. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Treharne J. D., Davey S. J., Gray S. J., Jones B. R. Immunological classification of TRIC agents and of some recently isolated LGV agents by the micro-immunofluorescence test. Br J Vener Dis. 1972 Feb;48(1):18–25. doi: 10.1136/sti.48.1.18. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Wang S. P., Grayston J. T. Human serology in Chlamydia trachomatis infection with microimmunofluorescence. J Infect Dis. 1974 Oct;130(4):388–397. doi: 10.1093/infdis/130.4.388. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Wang S. P., Grayston J. T. Immunologic relationship between genital TRIC, lymphogranuloma venereum, and related organisms in a new microtiter indirect immunofluorescence test. Am J Ophthalmol. 1970 Sep;70(3):367–374. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(70)90096-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The British Journal of Ophthalmology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES