“CORNEA, Fundamentals, Diagnosis and Management”, is a basic cornea text, which discusses chlamydia pneumonia, trachoma and psittacosis in eye diseases; and recognizes chlamydia organisms cause a variety of eye diseases. The conclusion is, “Chlamydia is responsible for a large spectrum of human ocular infections.” The text also identifies many eye diseases and syndromes; “itis” diseases, such as conjunctivitis, iritis, or uveitis; and numerous syndromes named for doctors who first described the diseases, such as Fuchs corneal dystrophy, Stephens-Johnson syndrome, and Cogan’s syndrome (not an all-inclusive list), which are considered diseases of unknown origin.
The chapter in “CORNEA” on “Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Other Systemic Inflammatory Diseases of the Cornea”, recognizes the co-existence of intestinal diseases and inflammation in the cornea, and identifies Crohn’s disease, IBS, and rheumatoid arthritis as co-morbid conditions. Arthritis has been “associated” with chlamydia trachoma—the most significant pathogen in blinding eye diseases. Trachoma is known to cause inclusion cysts around the eye, which is named “lymphogranuloma venereum conjunctivitis”. “CORNEA” discusses endothelial dysfunction in the eye, which can be caused by chlamydia species, particularly chronic chlamydia pneumonia; and neutrophil dysfunction, the type of immune cell that attacks H-pylori and chlamydia psittacosis.
The “CORNEA” text fails to acknowledge the same chronic infections are causing the eye disease, stomach disease, arthritis, endothelial dysfunction and neutrophil dysfunction.
Krachmer J, Mannis M, and Holland E (eds). CORNEA, Fundamentals, Diagnosis and Management. 2nd Ed. 2005. (Singal N, Rootman D) Ch. 51. and (Tauber J). Ch. 116;
Pannekoek Y. 2006. Inclusion Proteins of Chlamydiaceae, Drugs Today (Barc). Mar 2006. 42 Suppl A:65-73. PMID: 16683046.
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