Chlamydiaceae
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Chlamydiaceae is a family of bacteria that belongs to the Phylum Chlamydiae, Order Chlamydiales. All Chlamydiaceae species are gram negative and express the family-specific lipopolysaccharide epitope αKdo-(2→8)-αKdo-(2→4)-αKdo (previously called the genus-specific epitope). 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.
Chlamydiaceae currently includes two genera: Chlamydia and Chlamydophila.
[edit] 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 (family Muridae), and C. suis in swine. Chlamydia spp. produce a small amount of detectable glycogen and have two ribosomal operons.
C. trachomatis is the cause of a Chlamydia infection commonly transmitted sexually (often referred as just "Chlamydia") and also causes trachoma, an infectious eye disease, spread by eye, nose, and throat secretions.
[edit] Chlamydophila
Six species belong to Chlamydophila: C. pneumoniae (often also called Chlamydia pneumoniae), C. pecorum, C. psittaci, C. abortus, C. caviae, and C. felis. Chlamydophila spp. do not produce detectable glycogen and have one ribosomal operon. These species are naturally found living in a variety of animals.
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