Reinfection of the mouse genital tract with Chlamydia trachomatis: the relationship of antibody to immunity.
Progesterone-treated CBA mice which had had genital infections with a fast, human strain of Chlamydia trachomatis either 8, 16, 58, or 69 weeks previously were rechallenged through the uterine wall, along with groups of untreated controls. Serum IgG antibody and/or local IgA antibody was measured using a micro-immunofluorescence technique. Although the infection was self-limiting, chlamydiae were cleared significantly more quickly from the previously infected groups than from their controls in all experiments. However, mice which had had a previous infection recently and which had high titres (geometric mean 1: greater than or equal to 2048) of serum IgG antibody and local IgA antibody immediately before rechallenge, were as susceptible as mice which had had a distant past infection and which had much lower titres (geometric mean 1:48) of serum IgG antibody. Thus, some immunity was induced in the mouse model, but pre-existing antibody seemed to be of little importance in this, and did not influence the initial susceptibility to reinfection.
D000818:Animals; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D013997:Time Factors; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G