Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 56, 62-64, 2003
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Short Communication
Characterization of the First Korean Isolate of a Chlamydia pneumoniae Strain
Seung-Joon Lee*, Eui-Cheol Nam1, Jun Yeon Won1, Weon-Seo Park2, Woo Jin Kim, Seon-Suk Han and Dae-Hee Choi
Department of Internal Medicine, 1Department of Otolaryngology and 2Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Kangwon 200-701, Korea
(Received January 14, 2003. Accepted March 27, 2003)
SUMMARY: Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common pathogen
that causes upper and lower respiratory tract infections and is
difficult to isolate from clinical specimens. Recently, we succeeded
in isolating the first C. pneumoniae strain in Korea.
This study characterizes the morphology, infectivity, and drug
sensitivity of the Korean strain, designated LKK-1. Electron microscopy
was performed for thin sections, and the infectivity over time
was tested by counting the inclusion-forming units every 12 h.
The minimum inhibitory concentrations of doxycycline, erythromycin,
clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin were determined
following the standard Japanese method. The elementary bodies
of LKK-1 were round, like those in Japanese strain KKpn-1, whereas
those of TW-183 have wavy cell membranes and are pear-shaped.
The infectivity curve and drug sensitivities of LKK-1 were nearly
the same as those of KKpn-1. In conclusion, LKK-1, the first strain
from Korea, is similar to the Japanese strain KKpn-1 in terms
of morphology, growth, and drug sensitivities, and shows
a distinct difference in morphology compared with TW-183. Further
studies are needed to elucidate the morphological differences
between round strains and classical pear-shaped strains of C.
pneumoniae.
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