Molecular pathogenesis of chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection: a brief overview  J.M. Kern, V. Maass, M. Maass  Clinical Microbiology and Infection  Volume 15, Issue 1, Pages 36-41 (January 2009) DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2008.02631.x Copyright © 2009 European Society of Clinical Infectious Diseases Terms and Conditions

FIG. 1 Immunofluorescence microscopy of a chronically Chlamydia pneumoniae-infected peripheral human blood monocyte (a) and an acutely infected respiratory epithelial HEp2 cell (b) 72 h post-infection (fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled anti-Chlamydia lipopolysaccharide antibody; Dako, Hamburg, Germany). (a) Persistent chlamydial infection can be detected over prolonged periods in mononuclear cells ex vivo. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells can differentiate into monocyte-derived macrophages or into dendritic cells. The numerous small and morphologically aberrant inclusions seen here are indicative of persistent infection (arrow). Their appearance does not alter substantially over the lifetime of the cell, and they do not release new infective elementary bodies. (b) Typical productive infection in epithelial cells (HEp-2 cells) characterized by large inclusions filled with abundant elementary bodies ready for release by host cell lysis. This is the in vitro equivalent of acute infection leading to cell death. Clinical Microbiology and Infection 2009 15, 36-41DOI: (10.1111/j.1469-0691.2008.02631.x) Copyright © 2009 European Society of Clinical Infectious Diseases Terms and Conditions