Persistent Chlamydiae and chronic arthritis 英文参考文献.docVIP

Available online /content/4/1/005 Commentary Persistent Chlamydiae and chronic arthritis Cheryl Villareal*, Judith A Whittum-Hudson*? and Alan P Hudson* *Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA ?Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Ophthalmology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA Correspondence: Dr Alan P Hudson, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Gordon H Scott Hall, 540 East Canfield Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201 USA. Tel: +1 313 993 6641; fax: +1 313 577 1155; e-mail: ahudson@ Received: 15 June 2001 Arthritis Res 2002, 4:5-9 Revisions requested: 25 July 2001 Revisions received: 23 August 2001 Accepted: 6 September 2001 Published: 8 October 2001 This article may contain supplementary data which can only be found online at /content/4/1/005 ? 2002 BioMed Central Ltd (Print ISSN 1465-9905; Online ISSN 1465-9913) Abstract Urogenital infection with Chlamydia trachomatis can lead to development of an acute inflammatory arthritis, and this acute disease becomes chronic in some individuals. Research indicates that the organism is present in synovial tissue of patients with chronic disease in a persistent, rather than an actively growing, form. Importantly, metabolic and other characteristics of persistent Chlamydia differ from those of actively growing bacteria. Other studies suggest that Chlamydia pneumoniae can be found in a persistent state in the synovium and that it too may be involved in joint pathogenesis. These and other observations suggest a more complex role for the Chlamydiae in joint disease than previously recognized. This realization should engender a realignment of thinking among clinicians and researchers concerning both mechanisms of chlamydial pathogenesis in the synovium and design of new treatments for the disease. Keywords: Chlamydia pneumoniae,