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Chlamydia in children

Alexey Portnov, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024

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Chlamydia in children - a group of anthroponotic and zoonotic diseases caused by pathogens of the genus Chlamydia, with granulomatous damage to the mucous membranes of the eyes, respiratory tract, urogenital system, regional lymph nodes, joints, liver and spleen, with frequent involvement in the pathological process of other internal organs.

ICD-10 code

A70 Infection caused by Chlamydia psittaci.
A71 Trachoma.
A71.0 The initial stage of trachoma.
Active stage of trachoma.
A71.9 Trachoma, unspecified.
А74 Other diseases caused by chlamydia.
A74.0 Chlamydial conjunctivitis (keratotrahoma).
A74.8 Other chlamydial diseases (chlamydial peritonitis).
A74.9 Chlamydial infection, unspecified.

Causes of chlamydia in children

Three kinds of obligate intracellular bacteria are attributed to the genus Chlamydia: Ch. Trachomatis, Ch. Psittaci u Ch. Pneumoniae. Types Ch. Trachomatis and Ch. Pneumoniae combine primary pathogens for humans, and species Ch. Psittaci are the primary pathogens for animals. According to the biological properties of chlamydia occupy an intermediate position between viruses and bacteria. Elementary particles are round in shape, 250-350 nm in diameter, well multiply intracellularly, contain RNA and DNA.

In human pathology, the most important is Ch. Trachomatis, which includes 15 serovars. These are the causative agents of trachoma, conjunctivitis with inclusions (parathrachoma), urogenital pathology (urethritis, cervicitis, etc.), pneumonia in newborns and infants, venereal forms of Reiter's syndrome, inguinal lymphogranulomatosis, etc.

View of Ch. Psittaci unites 13 serovars - pathogens of animal diseases (ornithosis) and lower mammals (enzootic abortions, pneumonia, arthritis, gastroenteritis, meningoencephalitis, etc.) that can be transmitted to a person, causing him various forms of pathology.

View of Ch. Pneumoniae was officially registered only in 1989. As long as one biovar is known, it causes respiratory pathology in young children, mainly small-focal and interstitial pneumonia.

trusted-source [1], [2]