[Chlamydia TWAR respiratory infection in cytomegalovirus infection]

A middle-aged male smoker with cytomegalovirus infection developed a respiratory tract infection, mostly bronchitis, associated with a low Chlamydia psittaci titer and a high C. trachomatis titer in indirect immunofluorescence tests. This situation, previously encountered in children and elderly people having no contact with birds and no genital infection, was reminiscent of the TWAR strains interhuman infections described by Grayston and Wang. A serum sample was therefore sent to Proff. Grayston's laboratory where it was found to be highly reactive in the specific microimmunofluorescence test against a reference TWAR strain. This shows that TWAR infections are present in France. Although TWAR strains are regarded as forming a special morphological entity within the C. psittaci group, the serological data available seem to indicate that they might be discussed on the basis of a high prevalence of C. trachomatis titers in the group indirect immunofluorescence reactions now being used. However, TWAR infections need to be reinvestigated as soon as TWAR antigens become available in this country under license from the Seattle University, Washington.