The aetiology of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is heterogeneous and still under discussion. Serological studies have suggested that Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila may play a role in acute exacerbations of COPD. The presence of these atypical pathogens in sputum samples was investigated in patients with stable COPD and...

Chlamydia pneumoniae is an important pathogen responsible for a variety of respiratory diseases in humans. Cell culture remains the most specific method for C. pneumoniae diagnosis, but it is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Thus, serology, particularly microimmunofluorescence (MIF) testing, is frequently utilized. However, the MIF test has a significant subjective component. We evaluated a ...

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease in the world and specifically in the United States, with the highest incidence in age-groups 14-19 years. In a subset of females, the C. trachomatis genital infection leads to serious pathological sequelae including pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. Chlamydia pneumoniae, another member...

In a retrospective analysis of lower respiratory tract infections in an ex-injection-drug users community, we found an outbreak (April to July 1991) of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. The epidemic occurred in a group of 26 community members (23 men and 3 women, mean age, 28.9--3 years) living and working together, who underwent acute and convalescent serologic tests for Mycoplasma pneumoniae, L...

BACKGROUND Identifying the aetiological agent of atypical pneumonia in human can sometimes be a tedious process, especially in cases where Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Legionella species and Chlamydia pneumoniae are ruled out. In such cases, a correct anamnesis of the patient is basic to clarify which pathogens might have produced the infection. For this reason, health professionals including veterin...

The in vitro activity of six cathelicidin peptides against 25 strains of Chlamydia was investigated. SMAP-29 proved to be the most active peptide, reducing the inclusion numbers of all 10 strains of Chlamydia trachomatis tested by > or =50% at 10 microg/ml. This peptide was also active against C. pneumoniae and C. felis.