Isolation of Chlamydia psittaci from bull ejaculate

During the repeated serological examination (RVK) in five breeding bulls the positive levels of antibodies to Chlamydia psittaci in titre 1 : 128 were found. In the isolation experiments the pelleted ejaculates deposited in liquid nitrogen were used. The isolation of Chlamydia psittaci on yolk sacs of chicken embryos was positive in two breeding bulls. The isolated strains are labelled GN-33 and OK-107. The serological examination of blood samples was in all five breeding bulls negative on brucellosis (BAB), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and coxiellosis and positive on PI-3. Bacteriological examination of spermatic fluid proved only sporadic contamination with moulds and saprophytic bacteria.     

Isolation and identification of Chlamydia psittaci from pet birds

Culturing of Chlamydia psittaci from pet birds requires the inoculation of a susceptible living host system with suspensions of various tissues from dead birds or with tracheal and/or cloacal swabs and fresh feces from live birds. Cell cultures have been used as the host system. The most commonly used cell cultures for isolation of C psittaci from pet birds are McCoy and mouse L cells. The sensitivity and specificity of cell culture equals or surpasses embryonating chicken eggs and mice, and results can be obtained in less than 7 days. To obtain satisfactory results, the inoculum must be centrifuged onto the cell cultures at 37 C, and the cells must be treated with a metabolic inhibitor such as colchicine or cycloheximide. Chlamydia psitaci can be detected in infected cells by use of fluorescent antibody, Giemsa, or Gimenez staining.     

Isolation of Chlamydia psittaci from an aborted bovine fetus

One strain of Chl. psittaci was isolated from two aborted foetuses of two cows coming from the same locality. Tissue from the lungs of the aborted foetuses was used for the isolation tests; after sample preparation this tissue was inoculated into the yolk sacs of chick embryos. It was found on the basis of serological examination (RVK) that both aborting cows had positive levels of antibodies against the Chl. psittaci antigen at a serum dilution ratio of 1 : 64. The serological examination for brucellosis (BAB) and coxiellosis was negative. The bacteriological examination (aerobic and anaerobic cultivation, salmonellae, mycoplasms and moulds) also gave negative results.     

鸟源鹦鹉热衣原体的分离鉴定和分子分型

鹦鹉热衣原体病是由鹦鹉热衣原体所引起的一类接触性人兽共患病。感染后的鸟类可以通过粪便排出病原体,经空气传播感染直接或者间接接触的鸟类、哺乳类动物以及人类。本试验以鸟的脾脏为材料,采用Buffulo Green Monkey(BGM)细胞培养法从送检的样品中分离得到1株衣原体,种属DNA微点阵列鉴定该分离株为鹦鹉热衣原体,基因型DNA微点阵列结果表明该鹦鹉热衣原体基因型为A型。本研究首次采用细胞培养的方法分离得到鹦鹉热衣原体野生鸟株,并用DNA微点阵列技术对其进行了基因分型,为鸟类鹦鹉热衣原体的流行病学调查提供了方法和手段。     

Isolation of Chlamydia psittaci from nasal and conjunctival exudate of a domestic cat

A feline strain of Chlamydia psittaci was isolated in tissue culture from nasal and conjunctival swabs from a free range domestic cat with bilateral conjunctivitis and rhinitis, living in the Liverpool area of the UK. The isolate was identified as C psittaci on the basis of its characteristic inclusion morphology in cell culture and by means of specific indirect immunofluorescence with known C psittaci specific antiserum. The isolate could be differentiated from other chlamydiae of non-feline origin by its amino acid nutritional requirements.     

Isolation of Chlamydia psittaci and Moraxella bovis from infectious keratoconjunctivitis in lambs

Out of 189 lambs in the flock, 25 animals suffered from bilateral or unilateral conjunctivitis, or keratoconjunctivitis. By serological examination (RVK), positive levels of antibodies to the group-specific antigen of Chl. psittaci were found in three out of six lambs examined by laboratory methods. Bacteriological examination of eye smears of six lambs showed in four cases the infection by microorganisms of Moraxella bovis. Smears from the conjunctivas of these lambs were after preparation instilled in the yolk sacs of six to seven days old chicken embryos. One strain of Chlamydia psittaci was isolated from the same material as Moraxella bovis.     

Isolation of chlamydia psittaci from domestic cats with oculonasal discharge in Japan

Eight strains of Chlamydia psittaci were isolated in Japan from the nasal and conjunctival swabs of six household cats using the L929 cell line of mouse fibroblast origin. The isolates were identified as C. psittaci on the basis of the formation of characteristic inclusion bodies in the cell culture detected by Giemsa stain and immunofluorescence. Comparison of nucleotide sequences of the ompA gene amplified from the three isolates with the published sequence of feline FEPN strain of C. psittaci showed almost 100% homology.     

Characterisation of Chlamydia psittaci isolated from a horse

This paper describes the isolation and characterisation of a strain of Chlamydia psittaci obtained from a nasal swab taken from a horse with serous nasal discharge. Initial isolation was achieved in cycloheximide-treated McCoy cell monolayers. Chlamydial inclusions stained by immunofluorescence either with a rabbit antiserum raised against C. psittaci or with a monoclonal antibody directed against the genus-specific lipopolysaccharide antigen were single and compact. They did not stain with iodine or with a monoclonal antibody reactive against Chlamydia trachomatis. The agent was re-isolated in the yolk sacs of embryonated hens eggs and designated N16. Identification of the agent was confirmed by electron microscopy. Unique plasmid DNA was prepared from a purified suspension of chlamydial elementary bodies (EBs), and analysed by electrophoresis through 1.0% agarose gels stained by ethidium bromide. This strain of C. psittaci grew relatively slowly in cycloheximide-treated McCoy cells, and the yield of elementary bodies during the course of one growth cycle was relatively low.     

Monoclonal antibodies to Chlamydia psittaci guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis (GPIC) strain

Monoclonal antibodies to a strain of Chlamydia psittaci isolated from guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis (GPIC) were developed. Only five of the 15 hybridomas isolated produced antibodies specific for the GPIC strain, while seven others produced antibodies which cross reacted with other strains and another species. Strain-specific and species-specific monoclonal antibodies were isotyped as IgG2a and IgG3, respectively. It appears that the GPIC strain has at least two epitopes, one of which is specific for the strain and the other common to the species. These monoclonal reagents may be used to immunotype GPIC agents, better than available methods and may be of potential use in the development of vaccines against chlamydial infections.     

Fatal Chlamydia psittaci infection in a domestic kitten

Chlamydia psittaci has not been reported to cause disease in domestic cats, to our knowledge. In contrast, C. felis infection is common in domestic cats and typically results in conjunctivitis, upper respiratory tract infection, and less frequently pneumonia. Herein, we report the pathologic findings and diagnostic features of a fatal case of psittacosis in a 7-wk-old domestic kitten. The animal was 1 of a litter of 5 that, together with the queen, were yielded to a pet rescue center in Wyoming. Over a period of ~3 wk, the kittens and queen became sick, thin, and icteric prior to death, despite antimicrobial treatments. Postmortem evaluation of a kitten revealed necrosuppurative hepatitis with Gimenez stain–positive intracellular bacteria, nonsuppurative pneumonia, and mild leptomeningitis. The diagnosis of psittacosis was made by 16S rRNA PCR using multiple primer sets and sequencing from liver. Psittacosis should be considered a differential diagnosis in domestic cats with intracellular bacterial hepatitis and interstitial pneumonia.