Mycoplasma trachomatis

Mycoplasma trachomatis generally refers to Chlamydia trachomatis. This tiny microorganism can cause many diseases, such as trachoma, urogenital tract infections, etc. Different diseases have different characteristics and features, and are very harmful. Therefore, we must have a certain understanding of the diseases caused by Mycoplasma trachomatis, and actively seek treatment once similar situations are discovered. Let’s take a look below.

Caused diseases

(a) Trachoma: caused by Chlamydia trachomatis biovar A, B, Ba, and C serotypes. It is mainly transmitted through direct or indirect contact, i.e. eye-to-eye or eye-to-hand-to-eye. When Chlamydia trachomatis infects conjunctival epithelial cells, it proliferates in them and forms scattered, cap-shaped, mulberry-shaped or filling-shaped inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm. The disease develops slowly, with acute or subacute inflammation of the eyelid conjunctiva appearing in the early stages, manifested by symptoms and signs such as tearing, mucopurulent secretions, and conjunctival congestion. In the later stage, the disease becomes chronic, with conjunctival scarring, entropion, trichiasis, and corneal damage caused by corneal pannus, which affects vision and eventually leads to blindness. According to statistics, trachoma is the leading cause of blindness. In 1956, Chinese scholars Tang Feifan and others successfully isolated Chlamydia trachomatis for the first time in the world using the chicken embryo yolk sac inoculation method, thus promoting research on the related pathogens.

(ii) Inclusion body pericystitis: caused by serotypes D to K of trachoma organism variants. Including both infants and adults. The former is caused by infection of the infant's birth canal, which causes acute purulent conjunctivitis (inclusion body pus leakage into the eye), does not invade the cornea, and can heal itself. Adult infection can occur through sexual contact, hand-to-eye contact, or from contaminated swimming pool water, causing follicular conjunctivitis, also known as swimming pool conjunctivitis. The lesions are similar to trachoma, but there is no corneal pannus and no conjunctival scarring. They usually heal within weeks or months without sequelae.

(III) Urogenital tract infection: transmitted through sexual contact, caused by serotypes D to K of trachoma organism variants. In men, the disease often presents as urethritis, which can be relieved without treatment, but most cases turn into chronic diseases, with periodic exacerbations, and may be complicated by epididymitis, proctitis, etc. In women, it can cause urethritis, cervicitis, etc., and salpingitis is a more serious complication. This serotype can sometimes cause Chlamydia trachomatis pneumonia.

(IV) Lymphogranuloma venereum: caused by the LGV biovar of Chlamydia trachomatis. LGV is transmitted through sexual contact and is a sexually transmitted disease. In men, the disease invades the inguinal lymph nodes, causing suppurative lymphadenitis and chronic lymphogranuloma. In women, the perineum, anus, and rectum may be invaded, causing stenosis of the perineum, anus, and rectum.