Chlamydia muridarum Alters the Immune Environment of the Murine Genital Tract to be More Permissive for Infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a Novel Coinfection Model

Coinfection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis occurs frequently, yet studies of the interaction between these two pathogens within the host have been hindered by the lack of an experimental model. Here we describe development and characterization of a female mouse model of gonococ...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Vonck,Rachel A
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS
COLONIES BIOLOGY
diagnosis (medicine)
epidemiology
GONORRHEA
IMMUNOASSAY
INFECTIOUS DISEASE TRANSMISSION
mice
Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Chlamydia trachomatis
PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS
response biology
statistical analysis
stis(Sexually transmitted infections)
TISSUE CULTURE
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Summary:Coinfection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis occurs frequently, yet studies of the interaction between these two pathogens within the host have been hindered by the lack of an experimental model. Here we describe development and characterization of a female mouse model of gonococcal and chlamydial coinfection. BALB/c mice were first infected with C. muridarum, the mouse chlamydiae, and then inoculated with N. gonorrhoeae following estradiol treatment to promote long-term gonococcal colonization. Viable gonococci and chlamydiae were recovered by vaginal swab and organisms were visible in the tissue by immunohistochemical staining. Coinfected mice had a higher percentage of vaginal neutrophils compared to mice infected with either pathogen alone and significantly more gonococci were recovered from coinfected mice compared to mice infected with N. gonorrhoeae alone.