Serological, clinical and radiological findings in adults with bronchopulmonary infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis.

We report here four cases of lower respiratory tract infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. Three of them had clinical and radiological findings of atypical pneumonia, while one presented with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). None of the patients had signs of ocular or genitourinary infections. All patients had specific IgM, IgA and IgG antibodies for C. trachomatis during the acute infection, and were seronegative for C. psittaci. No specific clinical or radiological patterns were found. Two of the patients with pneumonia were laboratory workers who were exposed to the L2 (434 bu) serovar of C. trachomatis. They had a striking seroconversion and were followed up serologically for up to 30 weeks after onset of illness.

Pulmonary tuberculosis due to BCG in a technician employed in a BCG laboratory.

X-ray examination of the lungs of a laboratory technician in the BCG Department of the Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen revealed a lung tumour and possible signs of tuberculosis. The diagnosis was confirmed by macroscopic and histopathological examination of lung tissue removed by surgery. Subsequent bacteriological examination showed the infection to have been caused by BCG. The possibility is discussed of whether the condition had developed from a metastatic lesion following BCG vaccination, or was the result of an aerogenic infection during the production of BCG vaccine. The simultaneous development of the tuberculous condition and the tumour is remarkable but is not discussed further. The requirements of WHO when signs of tuberculosis are found in a worker in a BCG laboratory were complied with in this instance, but it was not considered necessary to change the routine procedure in the BCG Department.