Establishment of genital tract infection in the CF-1 mouse by intravaginal inoculation of a human oculogenital isolate of Chlamydia trachomatis.

A human oculogenital strain of Chlamydia trachomatis was instilled intravaginally in the outbred CF-1 mouse to establish cervical infection. The mice were neither hormonally nor immunologically manipulated before inoculation. Duration of chlamydial excretion varied from two to ten days. In the culture-positive animals, IgG and IgM antibody titers were elevated in 38% and 17%, respectively. Neither intracytoplasmic inclusions nor elementary bodies of C. trachomatis were detected in genital tissues. Infection was limited primarily to the cervix and only rarely extended into the uterus. Chlamydial infection could only be established during specific periods of the estrus cycle (metestrus-2, diestrus, and proestrus; P less than .001), stages when leukocytes are present in the vaginal smear. Thus, chlamydial infection of the cervix is cycle-dependent in the mouse. In summary, infection of the cervix of the mouse has been established with a human oculogenital strain of C. trachomatis and may be useful as a model of human chlamydial cervicitis.