CDC researchers have isolated select Chlamydophila pneumoniae peptide epitopes for development of vaccines and diagnostic assays. Currently, C. pneumoniae infection of humans has been linked to a wide variety of acute and chronic diseases, such as asthma, endocarditis, atherosclerotic vascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sarcoidosis, reactive arthritis and multiple sclerosis. There is presently no available peptide vaccine for the pathogen and reliable and accurate diagnostic methods are limited.

This technology encompasses polypeptide sequences that are specifically recognized by anti-C. pneumoniae antibodies. These antigens may be useful for improving diagnostic methods by reducing the variability and high backgrounds found with methods that rely on whole organisms for detection. Further, this technology may also be useful for production of peptide or DNA-based vaccines directed against C. pneumoniae.