Chlamydia Trachomatis Picture

Chlamydia trachomatis is a small bacterium that cannot grow outside a living cell. In this respect it resembles a virus, but it is actually a very sophisticated organism. There are two other related organisms: Chlamydia psittaci is widespread in animals and can be transmitted to humans. This organism in humans is an uncommon cause of severe pneumonia particularly when acquired from infected birds of the parrot (Psittacine) family, and occasionally of abortion following contact with infected sheep. The more recently described Chlamydia pneumoniae (also known as the TWAR agent - Taiwan Acute Respiratory, after the designations of the first two isolates), may prove to be a frequent cause of upper and lower respiratory infection transmitted from person to person by infected droplets.