Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1988 Sep;56(9):2243–2249. doi: 10.1128/iai.56.9.2243-2249.1988

Susceptibility to reinfection after a primary chlamydial genital infection.

R G Rank 1, B E Batteiger 1, L S Soderberg 1
PMCID: PMC259556  PMID: 2457553

Abstract

Female guinea pigs which had been infected genitally with the agent of guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis were challenged at various times after infection with fresh inocula to determine the duration of immunity resulting from the primary infection. At 30 days after infection, most guinea pigs were resistant to reinfection, as indicated by the inability to isolate chlamydiae from cervical swabs. However, at 77, 155, and 294 days, all animals became reinfected, although the course of the infection was abbreviated and of lower intensity. When various immune parameters were examined, a decrease in antibodies in both serum (immunoglobulin G [( IgG]) and genital secretions (IgA, IgG) was observed after 30 days. A decrease in antibodies to the major outer membrane protein and an 84K component was noted in serum. In genital secretions, IgA antibodies to all major chlamydial components declined markedly after 30 days. Cell-mediated immunity as measured by proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes to guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis antigen also was at a peak response 30 days after infection and decreased thereafter. Thus, loss of complete immunity could not be associated with a particular immune parameter. When genital secretions were examined 14 days after the challenge infection, IgA antibody levels to the lipopolysaccharide and 61K protein components had increased in intensity, whereas other antibodies were relatively low. In addition, complete immunity to a third infection was not increased in duration when animals had recovered from two previous genital infections.

Full text

PDF
2243

Images in this article

2246Image
on p.2246
2246Image
on p.2246
2246Image
on p.2246
2247Image
on p.2247

Selected References

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

  1. Ahmad A., Dawson C. R., Yoneda C., Togni B., Schachter J. Resistance to reinfection with a chlamydial agent (guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis agent). Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1977 Jun;16(6):549–553. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Alani M. D., Darougar S., Burns D. C., Thin R. N., Dunn H. Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis from the male urethra. Br J Vener Dis. 1977 Apr;53(2):88–92. doi: 10.1136/sti.53.2.88. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Batteiger B. E., Rank R. G. Analysis of the humoral immune response to chlamydial genital infection in guinea pigs. Infect Immun. 1987 Aug;55(8):1767–1773. doi: 10.1128/iai.55.8.1767-1773.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Brunham R. C., Kuo C. C., Cles L., Holmes K. K. Correlation of host immune response with quantitative recovery of Chlamydia trachomatis from the human endocervix. Infect Immun. 1983 Mar;39(3):1491–1494. doi: 10.1128/iai.39.3.1491-1494.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Brunham R. C., Martin D. H., Kuo C. C., Wang S. P., Stevens C. E., Hubbard T., Holmes K. K. Cellular immune response during uncomplicated genital infection with Chlamydia trachomatis in humans. Infect Immun. 1981 Oct;34(1):98–104. doi: 10.1128/iai.34.1.98-104.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hanna L., Kerlan R., Senyk G., Stites D. P., Juster R. P., Jawetz E. Immune responses to chlamydial antigens in humans. Med Microbiol Immunol. 1982;171(1):1–10. doi: 10.1007/BF02122702. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Johnson A. P., Osborn M. F., Thomas B. J., Hetherington C. M., Taylor-Robinson D. Immunity to reinfection of the genital tract of marmosets with Chlamydia trachomatis. Br J Exp Pathol. 1981 Dec;62(6):606–613. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Katz B. P., Batteiger B. E., Jones R. B. Effect of prior sexually transmitted disease on the isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis. Sex Transm Dis. 1987 Jul-Sep;14(3):160–164. doi: 10.1097/00007435-198707000-00008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Monnickendam M. A., Darougar S., Treharne J. D., Tilbury A. M. Development of chronic conjunctivitis with scarring and pannus, resembling trachoma, in guinea-pigs. Br J Ophthalmol. 1980 Apr;64(4):284–290. doi: 10.1136/bjo.64.4.284. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Rank R. G., Barron A. L. Effect of antithymocyte serum on the course of chlamydial genital infection in female guinea pigs. Infect Immun. 1983 Aug;41(2):876–879. doi: 10.1128/iai.41.2.876-879.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Rank R. G., Barron A. L. Humoral immune response in acquired immunity to chlamydial genital infection of female guinea pigs. Infect Immun. 1983 Jan;39(1):463–465. doi: 10.1128/iai.39.1.463-465.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Rank R. G., Barron A. L. Specific effect of estradiol on the genital mucosal antibody response in chlamydial ocular and genital infections. Infect Immun. 1987 Sep;55(9):2317–2319. doi: 10.1128/iai.55.9.2317-2319.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Rank R. G., White H. J., Barron A. L. Humoral immunity in the resolution of genital infection in female guinea pigs infected with the agent of guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis. Infect Immun. 1979 Nov;26(2):573–579. doi: 10.1128/iai.26.2.573-579.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Schachter J., Cles L. D., Ray R. M., Hesse F. E. Is there immunity to chlamydial infections of the human genital tract? Sex Transm Dis. 1983 Jul-Sep;10(3):123–125. doi: 10.1097/00007435-198307000-00004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES