IMMUNOBIOLOGY OF GUINEA PIG INCLUSION CONJUNCTIVITIS

复发性眼部衣原体感染的发病机制被认为是 免疫介导的（即，超敏反应）。 但由于 由于缺乏合适的眼部衣原体感染动物模型， 在感染期间对衣原体抗原的免疫应答， 挑战尚未确定。 我们选择研究 豚鼠包涵体结膜炎免疫病理学研究 在几内亚引起眼部和生殖器感染的鹦鹉热菌株 猪 我们已经在临床上描述了GPIC原发性感染的特征， 表征结膜的组织病理学的过程 原发性感染 此外，我们还描述了一种延迟型 对高剂量活性GPIC和Triton的超敏反应 GPIC的X-100提取物。 GPIC重组克隆产生皮肤 免疫动物的超敏反应正在被表征，以确定 引起超敏反应的衣原体抗原。 的 初次感染和攻毒后的免疫显性抗原 已经鉴定了这些蛋白质，并且表达这些蛋白质的重组克隆已经 被孤立。

The pathogenesis of recurrent ocular chlamydial infections is thought to be immunologically mediated (i.e., hypersensitivity). However, due to the lack of an appropriate animal model of ocular chlamydial infections, the immunological response to chlamydial antigens during infection and challenge has not been characterized. We have chosen to study the immunopathology of guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis (GPIC), a Chlamydia psittaci strain which produces ocular and genital infections in guinea pigs. We have characterized GPIC primary infection clinically and are in the process of characterizing the histopathology of the conjunctiva during primary infection. In addition, we have characterized a delayed type hypersensitivity response to high doses of viable GPIC and to a Triton X-100 extract of GPIC. GPIC recombinant clones producing cutaneous hypersensitivity in immune animals are being characterized to identify the chlamydial antigen which elicits the hypersensitivity response. The immunodominant antigens during primary infection and following challenge have been identified and recombinant clones expressing these proteins have been isolated.