Chlamydiaceae


The Chlamydiaceae are a family of gram-negative bacteria that belongs to the phylum Chlamydiae, order Chlamydiales. Chlamydiaceae species express the family-specific lipopolysaccharide epitope αKdo--αKdo--αKdo. Chlamydiaceae ribosomal RNA genes all have at least 90% DNA sequence identity. Chlamydiaceae species have varying inclusion morphology, varying extrachromosomal plasmid content, and varying sulfadiazine resistance.
The family Chlamydiaceae currently includes one genus and one candidate genus: Chlamydia and candidatus Clavochlamydia.

''Chlamydia''

Three species belong to Chlamydia: C. trachomatis, C. muridarum, and C. suis. C. trachomatis has been found only in humans, C. muridarum in hamsters and mice, and C. suis in swine. Chlamydia species produce a small amount of detectable glycogen and have two ribosomal operons.
C. trachomatis is the cause of an infection commonly transmitted sexually and also is the cause of trachoma, an infectious eye disease, spread by eye, nose, and throat secretions.