## Correct Answer: "It can be cultured on standard blood agar and chocolate agar media in routine microbiology laboratories" ### Why This Statement Is False **Key Point:** Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen that CANNOT be cultured on standard bacterial media (blood agar, chocolate agar, MacConkey agar). It requires living cells for growth. ### Culture Requirements - **Cell culture:** McCoy cells, HeLa cells, or L929 fibroblasts (gold standard but labour-intensive) - **Non-culture methods:** Direct immunofluorescence (DIF), nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs — PCR, TMA, SDA), enzyme immunoassay (EIA) - **Clinical practice:** NAATs (especially PCR) are now the preferred diagnostic method due to superior sensitivity and specificity ### Correct Statements About C. trachomatis | Feature | Details | |---------|----------| | **Cell wall** | Gram-negative; lacks peptidoglycan (has lipopolysaccharide instead) | | **Serovars L1–L3** | Cause lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV); rectal strictures are a late sequela | | **Treatment** | Azithromycin 1 g single dose (non-pregnant); doxycycline 100 mg BD × 7 days (alternative) | | **Serovars A–C** | Cause trachoma (leading infectious cause of blindness in endemic areas) | | **Serovars D–K** | Cause urogenital infections, neonatal conjunctivitis, pneumonia | **Clinical Pearl:** The inability to culture C. trachomatis on routine media is a key distinguishing feature from other Gram-negative bacteria and is a frequent NEET PG trap. **High-Yield:** Remember — Chlamydia requires **living cells**, not agar plates. This is why diagnosis relies on immunological or molecular methods in clinical practice.
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