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Chlamydial genital tract infections

Lymphogranuloma venereum: Introduction.

Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is an  uncommon form of sexually transmitted disease caused by serovars L1, L2 or L3 of Chlamydia trachomatis. These LGV serovars are sufficiently different from the other oculo-genital D thru K serovars of C. trachomatis that they are put in a special biovar, the LGV biovar. Strains in the LGV biovar are characterized in the laboratory by their ability to grow in cell culture without the need for centrifuge assisted infection or for pre-treatment of host cells with polycations. They also show faster and more vigorous growth in cell culture. 

Clinically the  LGV biovar is remarkable for its  tropism for lymphoid cells and its ability to cause systemic disease.  LGV is commonest in tropical areas of the world, most notably in India, Africa and South East Asia. However, its distribution is world wide. In developed countries, where it primarily occurs in homosexuals and in people of black race [Papagrigoriadis & Rennie, 1999], genital infection with LGV serovars is under recognized [Schachter & Osoba, 1983]. There are fewer than 350 cases per year in the United States [Lynch et al., 1999]. LGV is one of the diseases which has to be considered in the differential diagnosis of genital ulcer disease [see:  Htun et al., 1999]. 

NEXT: Clinical presentation of LGV.

References

Lynch, C. M., Felder, T. L., Schwandt, R. A. & Shashy, R. G. (1999). Lymphogranuloma venereum presenting as a rectovaginal fistula. Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics & Gynecology 7, 199 - 201.

Htun, Y., Morse, S. A., Dangor, Y., Fehler, G., Radebe, F., Trees, D. L., Beck-Sague, C. M. & Ballard, R. C. (1998). Comparison of clinically directed, disease specific, and syndromic protocols for the management of genital ulcer disease in Lesotho. Sexually Transmitted Infections 74, Suppl 1: S23 - 28.

Papagrigoriadis, S., Rennie, J. A. (1998). Lymphogranuloma venereum as a cause of rectal strictures. Postgraduate Medical Journal 74, 168 - 169.

Schachter, J. & Osoba, A. O. (1983). Lymphogranuloma venereum. British Medical Bulletin 39, 151 - 154.

NEXT: Clinical presentation of LGV.