INTRACELLULAR LOCATION OF INAPPARENTLY INFECTING CHLAMYDIA IN SYNOVIAL TISSUE FROM PATIENTS WITH REITERS-SYNDROME

Culture of Chlamydia trachomatis from synovial tissues/fluids from Rei ter's syndrome (RS) patients frequently yields negative results. Howev er, we have identified chlamydial RNA at that site in such patients, s uggesting that viable organisms may be present. Here we define the cel lular location of chlamydia within the synovium via in situ hybridizat ion. Using a chlamydial ribosomal RNA-directed probe, we show that syn ovial tissue from culture-negative RS patients gives strong hybridizat ion which is often localized to a subsynovial cell layer, rather than to the synovial lining; in some cases, hybridizing cells are dispersed through the synovium. Ah hybridization signal is located within host cells, indicating that infectious extracellular elementary bodies are rare or absent. These data confirm the extensive intracellular presenc e of inapparent chlamydia in the synovia of RS patients and provide so me insight into the usual culture negativity of synovial tissues for t he organism.