IN-VITRO STUDY OF A DOUBLE INFECTION BY HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS TYPE-2 AND CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may recognize multiple etiologica l agents. Among them, Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) and herpes simplex vi rus type 2 (HSV-2) cause symptomatic, subclinical and asymptomatic inf ections of the urogenital tract which can lead to serious sequelae. In the present study the coinfection and superinfection by Ct and HSV-2 in epithelial cultured cells from human cervix (HeLa 229) are describe d. A double infection, followed by the intracellular synthesis of chla mydial and viral antigens, was established. Both synergistic and inter fering phenomena were recorded: viral antigen synthesis resulted incre ased whereas Ct inclusion bodies were produced to a lower extent.