Published
2020-02-10
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Chlamydia trachomatis:

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22490/24629448.3696
Section
Article (before OJS)
Natalia Castellanos Hernández
Yessica Marcela Castañeda Franco
Paola Andrea Paola Andrea
Ruth Mélida Sánchez Mora

Chlamydia trachomatis (C. Trachomatis) is a Gram negative unmoving bacterium, characterized by being an obligate intracellular microorganism and having a reproductive cycle in which a metabolically inactive extracellular infectious form (elementary body - EB's) can be distinguished from an intracellular active and non-infectious form (reticulated body - RB's). C trachomatis is characterized by causing infection in humans, is related to sexually transmitted diseases and eye infections, so it can lead to sequelae of interest if timely treatment is not given. The objective of this study was to optimize the infection model of C. trachomatis in HEp-2 cells with elementary bodies (EB’s) of C. trachomatis serovar L2. Initially, the conditions for the adequate growth of HEp-2 cells were established in time and with a confluence of 90%, to continue with the optimization of an infection protocol. The infection was confirmed from the staining with Giemsa allowing to evaluate morphological characteristics of both uninfected and infected HEp-2 cells and also of the elementary bodies of C. trachomatis. Finally, the infection was corroborated with the direct immunofluorescence technique, that detects the C. trachomatis MOMP membrane protein. After the tests were performed, the presence of elementary bodies nearby and within the cellular cytoplasm was evidenced, as well as vacuolated cells and cellular damage caused by the infection.