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Chlamydiae

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Laboratory Procedures in Clinical Microbiology

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Abstract

Agents belonging to the Chlamydiae are small (200 nm to 1500 nm in diameter), nonmotile, intracellular organisms. They share many properties of bacteria in that they (1) reproduce by binary fission, (2) contain both deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), (3) possess enzymatic activities, (4) contain cell wall material, and (5) are susceptible to several antibiotics.2 Although similar to viruses in their parasitism of eukaryotic cells, chlamydiae utilize their own ribosomes and enzymes for the synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids. In contrast to chlamydiae, rickettsiae are transmitted to humans by arthropod vectors, and are less dependent on the host for their energy requirements.

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Authors
  1. Thomas F. Smith Ph.D.
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Clinical Microbiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 Southwest First Street, 55905, Rochester, Minnesota, USA

    John A. Washington II

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Smith, T.F. (1985). Chlamydiae. In: Washington, J.A. (eds) Laboratory Procedures in Clinical Microbiology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5070-8_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5070-8_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

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