Immunity to reinfection and immunization of male guinea pigs against urethral infection with the agent of guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis.
OBJECTIVE
There is little information available on immunity of males to chlamydial infection after recovering from a primary urethral infection or after immunization with chlamydial antigen. The guinea pig model of genital infection using the chlamydial agent of guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis was utilized to evaluate the protective immune response in these circumstances.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether immunity to reinfection develops after a primary urethral infection and whether immunity develops as a result of immunization with inactivated chlamydiae.


METHODS
Groups of five male guinea pigs each in two separate experiments were infected in the urethra with chlamydiae and challenged with a fresh inoculum at either 30, 75, or 150 days after infection. The course of the challenge infection was then determined. Similarly, guinea pigs were immunized subcutaneously with ultraviolet-inactivated chlamydial elementary bodies and the course of urethral infection was determined when inoculated 2 weeks after immunization.


RESULTS
Male guinea pigs were highly resistant to reinfection after a primary urethral infection. Animals that were immunized with inactivated chlamydiae generally became infected upon challenge, but the intensity of the infection was markedly reduced.


CONCLUSIONS
Male guinea pigs possess protective mechanisms that make them more resistant to repeat chlamydial genital infection for a longer period of time than is seen in female guinea pigs. In addition, immunization of males with inactivated chlamydial antigen by a parenteral route is able to elicit a protective response to urethral infection with chlamydiae.
Patterson
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Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock 72205, USA.
Rank
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D000818:Animals; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D003235:Conjunctivitis, Inclusion / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D014522:Urethral Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated
D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated