TY - JOUR
T1 - Genital tract lesions in sexually mature Göttingen minipigs during the initial stages of experimental vaginal infection with Chlamydia trachomatis serovar D
AU - Erneholm, Karin Susanne
AU - Lorenzen, Emma Kathrine
AU - Bøje, Sarah Henriette
AU - Olsen, Anja Weinreich
AU - Andersen, Peter
AU - Cassidy, Joseph P.
AU - Follmann, Frank
AU - Jensen, Henrik Elvang
AU - Agerholm, Jørgen Steen
PY - 2016/9/10
Y1 - 2016/9/10
N2 - Background: Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in humans worldwide, causing chronic lesions in the reproductive tract. Due to its often asymptomatic course, there is limited knowledge about the initial changes in the genital tract following infection. This study employs a novel sexually mature minipig model to investigate the initial histopathological changes following vaginal infection with Chlamydia trachomatis serovar D. Results: A vaginal inoculation resulted in an infection primarily affecting the lower genital tract. The histopathological changes were characterized by a subepithelial inflammation consisting of neutrophils and mononuclear cells, followed by an increase in the number of plasma cells within the sub-epithelial stroma of the vagina. Detection of Chlamydia was associated with expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and interleukin-8 by superficial epithelial cells. The infection was self-limiting, with a duration of 7 days. Conclusion: Neutrophils, plasma cells and IL-8 have been linked with Chlamydia genital infection of unknown duration in human patients. In this study, we observe a similar pattern of local immune response/inflammation following experimental inoculation suggesting this porcine model shows promise as a model for translational chlamydia research.
AB - Background: Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in humans worldwide, causing chronic lesions in the reproductive tract. Due to its often asymptomatic course, there is limited knowledge about the initial changes in the genital tract following infection. This study employs a novel sexually mature minipig model to investigate the initial histopathological changes following vaginal infection with Chlamydia trachomatis serovar D. Results: A vaginal inoculation resulted in an infection primarily affecting the lower genital tract. The histopathological changes were characterized by a subepithelial inflammation consisting of neutrophils and mononuclear cells, followed by an increase in the number of plasma cells within the sub-epithelial stroma of the vagina. Detection of Chlamydia was associated with expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and interleukin-8 by superficial epithelial cells. The infection was self-limiting, with a duration of 7 days. Conclusion: Neutrophils, plasma cells and IL-8 have been linked with Chlamydia genital infection of unknown duration in human patients. In this study, we observe a similar pattern of local immune response/inflammation following experimental inoculation suggesting this porcine model shows promise as a model for translational chlamydia research.
U2 - 10.1186/s12917-016-0793-6
DO - 10.1186/s12917-016-0793-6
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 27614611
SN - 1746-6148
VL - 12
JO - B M C Veterinary Research
JF - B M C Veterinary Research
M1 - 200
ER -
