Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 4, 2026

Forward Genetic Approaches in Chlamydia trachomatis
Published on: October 23, 2013
Chlamydia-like organisms in digestive and duct cells of mussels from the Basque coast
1Zitologi eta Histologi Laborategia, Zientzi Fakultatea, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Bilbo, Spain.
Abstract:
Chlamydia-like organisms have been detected in digestive cells and duct cells of the digestive gland of mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, collected from the Basque coast. The organisms appeared as basophilic inclusion bodies within digestive cells and consisted of elongate initial reticulate bodies and previously undescribed condensed forms, interpreted as intermediate bodies. Of the 414 mussels examined by light microscopy, 5.31% showed this type of infection. A second type of chlamydia-like organism was found in nonciliated duct cells. The microorganisms were found mostly free in duct cells and large elongate reticulate bodies, intermediate condensing forms, and fully condensed elementary bodies were clearly distinguished. No serious histopathological or ultrastructural changes were observed in host cells but evidences of a possible localized metabolic damage within infected digestive cells is presented.
Related Concept Videos
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Bacterial Phylum Chlamydiae
Bacterial Phylum Spirochaetes
Diversity of Protists II
Cholera
Trichomoniasis

