The endogenous antiseptic N-chlorotaurine irreversibly inactivates Chlamydia pneumoniae and Chlamydia trachomatis.

PURPOSE: The antimicrobial activity of N-chlorotaurine (NCT), an endogenous long-lived oxidant applied topically, was tested against Chlamydiae in vitro.

METHODOLOGY: Elementary bodies of Chlamydia pneumoniae strain CV-6 and Chlamydia trachomatis serovars A and D were incubated in 0.01, 0.1 and 1 % (w/v) NCT solution at pH 7.1 and 37 °C. After different incubation times, aliquots were removed and grown in cell culture. The number of inclusion forming units was quantified by immunofluorescence and real-time qPCR.Results/Key findings.Chlamydia pneumoniae and Chlamydia trachomatis were inactivated by 1 and 0.1 % NCT within 1 min. Moreover, 0.025-0.1 % NCT significantly reduced the number of intracellularly growing C. pneumoniae within 30 min.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study demonstrating the antimicrobial activity of NCT against Chlamydiae. Clinical implications of these findings have to be investigated in further trials.