title: Is a Chlamydia vaccine a reality?
abstract: Chlamydia trachomatis is a leading cause of sexually transmitted bacterial infections with severe sequelae such as tubal factor infertility and ectopic pregnancy; infections can also be asymptomatic. So far no vaccine has been developed but studies that may lead to the development of a highly warranted vaccine have been performed. The first attempt to vaccinate children with a whole-cell vaccine initially resulted in protection but the protection was short-lived. In animal models whole-cell vaccination resulted in hypersensitivity reactions, so that new strategies were devised. The first immunogenic molecule described was the major outer membrane protein (MOMP), and this molecule has therefore been studied in great detail as a candidate vaccine. Even though complete protection was not obtained, reduced shedding was observed and vaccine trials in animal models using naked DNA as a vaccine resulted in stimulation of both the humoral and cellular immune response, indicating progress in the development of a vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, The Bartholin Building, University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Gunna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: Svend
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Birkelund
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines