Chlamydia and toxoplasmosis take over cells in similar ways, researchers say

Chlamydial bacteria control parts of the human cell in the same way that the parasites that cause toxoplasmosis do, according to recent findings.

After invading a cell, both microorganisms take over the Golgi apparatus, an organelle that acts as the cell’s molecular distribution center, researchers gathered at the 50th annual meeting of the American Society of Cell Biology said.

The two organisms and their infections are very different - chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacterium, while toxoplasmosis is an infection by the Toxoplasma gondii protozoan - both have evolved to operate in a similar way, the researchers said.

The team of microbiologists said that more effective treatments for chlamydia might be designed with these findings in mind.

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported bacterial STD in the U.S., with more than 1.2 million new infections reported each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that, because the disease is often symptomless, it is likely that at least a further one million new cases of chlamydia go unreported annually.

Individuals who believe they have chlamydia may consider looking into online testing services for a private, prompt STD screening.