Chlamydia are isolated by :
**Core Concept**
Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular pathogens that require specialized culture conditions to isolate and propagate. They possess a unique biphasic life cycle, involving an elementary body (EB) and a reticulate body (RB) that can only be grown in cell culture.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
Chlamydiae are typically isolated using cell culture techniques, such as HeLa cells or McCoy cells, which provide the necessary nutrients and environment for the bacteria to replicate. The EB form of Chlamydia attaches to the host cell and undergoes transformation into the RB form, which then replicates within a membrane-bound vesicle called an inclusion. The correct answer is a type of cell culture that supports the growth of Chlamydia.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
* **Option A:** This is incorrect because Chlamydiae cannot be isolated using standard microbiological techniques such as agar plates or nutrient broth, which are not suitable for their growth requirements.
* **Option B:** This is incorrect because Chlamydiae are not typically isolated using blood culture, which is used for the isolation of bacteria that can grow in blood.
* **Option C:** This is incorrect because Chlamydiae are not typically isolated using stool culture, which is used for the isolation of bacteria that can grow in the gastrointestinal tract.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection worldwide, and its diagnosis is often made using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) due to the difficulty in isolating the bacteria from clinical specimens.
**Correct Answer: D. Cell culture.