Open AccessImmunoglobulin-Specific Responses to Chlamydia Elementary Bodies in Individuals with and at Risk for Genital Chlamydial Infection
Author(s) -
William M. Geisler,
Sandra G. Morrison,
Martha L. Doemland,
Shehzad Iqbal,
Jin Su,
Ausra Mancevski,
Edward W. Hook,
Richard P. Morrison
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the journal of infectious diseases (online. university of chicago press)/the journal of infectious diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.69
H-Index - 252
eISSN - 1537-6613
pISSN - 0022-1899
DOI - 10.1093/infdis/jis621
Subject(s) - chlamydia , seroprevalence , chlamydia trachomatis , antibody , immunology , sex organ , biology , immunoglobulin g , serotype , immunoglobulin m , immunoglobulin a , chlamydiales , chlamydiaceae , serology , virology , genetics
Renewed interest in chlamydia vaccination has revealed the need for a greater understanding of the seroprevalence of chlamydial infection in US populations. We used a Chlamydia trachomatis elementary body (EB)-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to define the characteristics of the humoral immune response and to determine seroprevalence. Two groups were analyzed: one consisting of patients with current, laboratory confirmed, genital chlamydial infection (n = 98) and one group of individuals whose chlamydia infection history was unknown (n = 367). C. trachomatis seropositivity was detected in 90% of the infected group and in 31% of the chlamydia-unknown group. IgG1 and IgG3 comprised the predominant anti-Chlamydia serum antibody responses. Serum IgA1 responses were variably positive, and individuals were rarely positive for anti-chlamydia IgG2, IgG4 or IgA2. The magnitude of the IgG1 and IgG3 responses was greatest in female and African American individuals and was sustained for at least 6 months. Antibody responses were not serovar restricted or confounded by Chlamydia pneumoniae cross-reactivity.