Genital tract lesions in sexually mature Göttingen minipigs during the initial stages of experimental vaginal infection with Chlamydia trachomatis serovar D.
BACKGROUND
Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in humans worldwide, causing chronic lesions in the reproductive tract. Due to its often asymptomatic course, there is limited knowledge about the initial changes in the genital tract following infection. This study employs a novel sexually mature minipig model to investigate the initial histopathological changes following vaginal infection with Chlamydia trachomatis serovar D.


RESULTS
A vaginal inoculation resulted in an infection primarily affecting the lower genital tract. The histopathological changes were characterized by a subepithelial inflammation consisting of neutrophils and mononuclear cells, followed by an increase in the number of plasma cells within the sub-epithelial stroma of the vagina. Detection of Chlamydia was associated with expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and interleukin-8 by superficial epithelial cells. The infection was self-limiting, with a duration of 7 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Neutrophils, plasma cells and IL-8 have been linked with Chlamydia genital infection of unknown duration in human patients. In this study, we observe a similar pattern of local immune response/inflammation following experimental inoculation suggesting this porcine model shows promise as a model for translational chlamydia research.
Section of Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics, Department of Large Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark. k.erneholm@gmail.com.|Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen S, Denmark. k.erneholm@gmail.com.|Present address: Timeline Bioresearch, Lund, Sweden. k.erneholm@gmail.com.
Karin
K
Erneholm
Section of Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics, Department of Large Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.|Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
Emma
E
Lorenzen
Section of Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics, Department of Large Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.|Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen S, Denmark.|Present address: Novo Nordisk A/S, Kalundborg, Denmark.
Sarah
S
Bøje
Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
Anja Weinreich
AW
Olsen
Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
Peter
P
Andersen
Pathobiology Section, School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Joseph P
JP
Cassidy
Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
Frank
F
Follmann
Section of Experimental Animal Models, Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
Henrik E
HE
Jensen
Section of Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics, Department of Large Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
Jørgen S
JS
Agerholm
D000818:Animals; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D065288:Serogroup; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*
D016209:Interleukin-8; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2
Chlamydia; Genital tract; Initial lesions; Pig model; Porcine; Sexually mature