Techniques for culturing and determining antimicrobial susceptibility of Chlamydia trachomatis

The application of cell culture techniques to the study of chlamydiae have led to isolation of C. trachomatis from a variety of syndromes, among which are nongonococcal urethritis, post-gonococcal urethritis, cervicitis, acute salpingitis, neonatal conjunctivitis, and pneumonia of infants. The methods currently employed fo chlamydia isolation are described, as well as the conditions which affect the infectivity of these organisms to cells in vitro. Cell culture methods applicable to the study of the effect of antibacterial drugs on C. trachomatis are also presented.