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.     

Coxiella burnetii and Chlamydia psittaci infection in dogs]

The prevalence of Coxiella burnetii and Chlamydia psittaci antibodies was investigated in 530 dog specimens divided into six groups, i. e. A = private watch dogs, B1 = service dogs from Bratislava, B2 = service dogs from other localities of Slovakia and Moravia, C = watch dogs from farms, I = household dogs, T = stray dogs. The dogs demonstrated the higher seropositivity to C. burnetii (11.7%) than to Ch. psittaci (5.5%). The highest percentage of antibodies to C. burnetii was found in stray dogs (23.7%), less prevalence of antibodies was observed in the animals in group C (13.6%), almost the same positivity was proved in the dogs of group B1 and B2 (10.5 and 10.6%). The highest positivity to Ch. psittaci was demonstrated in the dogs of group A (8.7%), less in group B2 (6.6%) and the least number in group B1 (1.9%). The stray dogs occupied the intermediate position in this data (Tab. I). Ninety four localities were tested, from which 38 were seropositive. Neither acute coxiellosis nor chlamydiosis were proved in any animals examined. Ninety per cent of dogs were found healthy, but 10% of dogs demonstrated hepatopathia and gastroenteritis. Two of them (category A and I) were seropositive to C. burnetii (titer 1:8 to 1:16) and one to Ch. psittaci (titer 1:16). Both C. burnetii and Ch. psittaci attack dogs parallely with the agents of other zoonoses, of which the most common is Toxoplasma gondii (Tab. II). Several dogs demonstrated seropositivity to three up to five zoonotic agents (Tab. III).     

Chlamydia psittaci infection and associated infertility in sheep.

Nineteen ewes were injected subcutaneously with the agent of enzootic ovine abortion, Chlamydia psittaci serovar 1, at 50 days gestation. Placental and fetal tissues were examined at 15 days postinfection and thereafter at ten day intervals. Placental infection was detected at 15 days postinfection. Only postinoculation sera collected from postinfected ewes contained antibodies reactive to C. psittaci. Five (26%) chlamydial infected ewes experienced inapparent fetal loss before day 105 of gestation. This finding is significant since C. psittaci infection in sheep is commonly associated with abortion and not infertility.     

T cell mediated and humoral immunity in a mouse Chlamydia psittaci systemic infection

Immunity against Chlamydia psittaci, an obligate intracellular parasite, was studied in a mouse model of systemic infection. Sera (0.1 ml) and splenic cells (2 X 10(8)) from immunised mice were given intravenously to susceptible mice 16 hours before intravenous challenge with 1 X 10(5) plaque forming units (pfu) of virulent strain AB7. Transfer of immune cells primed with virulent strain AB7 or vaccinal strain 1B, lowered splenic and hepatic colonisation by approximately 5.5 log pfu. Treatment of immune cells with antithymocyte serum plus complement, before transfer, abrogated the protection. Transfer of sera raised against the virulent strain AB7, or the attenuated vaccinal strain 1B, lowered hepatic colonisation by approximately 1.5 log pfu. Sera containing antigenus antibodies, raised against heat-killed chlamydiae from strain AB7 or the non-virulent intestinal strain iB1, were not protective. Cellular immunity is mainly responsible for the observed protection, although humoral immunity may play some role.     

肉鸡自然感染和实验性感染鹦鹉热衣原体的病理学观察

肉鸡鹦鹉热衣原体病是由鹦鹉热衣原体引起的一种接触性人兽共患传染病。在自然条件下，肉鸡可感染本病，肉雏鸡表现沉郁、呼吸困难，甩鼻、采食量下降，常常呈恶病质状态，最终衰竭死亡，耐过鸡只生长受阻，给肉鸡生产造成了巨大的损失。禽源鹦鹉热衣原体株对人有致病性，人感染后主要表现为非特异性流感样症状，可导致肺炎、心内膜炎和脑炎等多种病症，严重威胁着人类的健康。     

Serological detection of phage infection in Chlamydia psittaci recovered from ducks

Antiserum prepared against a phage which infects a Chlamydia psittaci isolate recovered from domestic ducks was used to screen other recent avian C psittaci isolates by indirect immunofluorescence. Two more phage infected strains from ducks were discovered. However, phage was not detected in every isolate examined from common source ducks, although such birds are likely to be infected with the same C psittaci strain. Moreover, phage could not always be demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence in McCoy cell monolayers infected with the phage-containing strain. The results suggest that phage infection is probably an integral part of duck chlamydiosis in the United Kingdom at present, but that the infection is often cryptic.     

Chlamydia psittaci infection in horses: results of a prevalence survey and experimental challenge.

Nasal and conjunctival swabs were obtained from 300 horses and Chlamydia psittaci was isolated from 15 of them (5 per cent). Eleven nasal swabs and six conjunctival swabs were positive on culture, but there was no association between the isolation of the organism and the presence of clinical ocular or respiratory disease. Six ponies were challenged with an equine isolate of C psittaci into the eye, nasal cavity or bronchial tree. The organism could be isolated from nasal and conjunctival swabs taken from the ponies for up to 17 days after challenge, but there was no clinical evidence of disease.     

Zoonotic infection with Chlamydia psittaci at an avian refuge centre

This paper reports the zoonotic transmission of Chlamydia psittaci at a wild bird refuge centre resulting in the infection of members of the staff. Pharyngeal swabs were culture positive in 26% (11/42) of the sampled birds, and molecular characterisation of isolates revealed genotypes A, B, D, and E/B. The finding reflects multiple distinct infections and highlights the endemic nature of this pathogen in avian wildlife. Two clinically normal birds being prepared for release were found to be excreting C. psittaci genotype B or E/B and viable genotype B was detected in pharyngeal swabs from 30% (3/10) of the human workers tested. The findings suggest there should be enhanced surveillance and control measures in place in bird rehabilitation centres in order to minimise the risk of both zoonoses and of re-introduction of infection back into wildlife populations.     

Experimental enteric infection of gnotobiotic piglets with a Chlamydia psittaci strain of avian origin

The pathogenicity of a Chlamydia psittaci isolate of pigeon origin was assessed using a litter of gnotobiotic piglets. At 3 days of age, six piglets were inoculated intragastrically with egg-grown chlamydiae, the remaining six pigs were sham-inoculated. The animals were observed for clinical signs, and they were killed and necropsied sequentially between 4 and 15 days of age. Clinical manifestations consisted of slight softening of the faeces between 6 and 10 days post-inoculation (DPI). Immunohistochemistry revealed chlamydial replication predominantly in the small intestine, initially within villous enterocytes, after 4 DPI mostly in the lamina propria. Histopathology showed villous atrophy and increased numbers of inflammatory cells in the gut up to 6 DPI. Chlamydial stages of normal morphology were identified within enterocytes using transmission electron microscopy. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) run on faecal samples revealed shedding of chlamydial antigen from 3 until 11 DPI. Systemic dissemination of Chlamydia occurred to a limited extent according to polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry results of several extraintestinal organs. Corresponding histopathological changes were minimal. Sera of all pigs were negative for anti-chlamydial antibodies using a complement fixation test. In conclusion, inoculation of this isolate in gnotobiotic piglets resulted in a productive enteric infection with mild lesions, weak systemic dissemination, and faecal shedding, indicating the pig as a potential host for avian chlamydiae.     

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。     

鹦鹉热衣原体疫苗研究进展

文章叙述了鹦鹉热衣原体的生物特性以及感染的宿主范围;鹦鹉热衣原体减毒活疫苗温度敏感株的培育及致病机理的研究;灭活疫苗灭活条件的研究,最佳免疫量,不同免疫途径的研究和我国对绵羊和猪鹦鹉热衣原体灭活疫苗的研究;以及鹦鹉热衣原体主要外膜蛋白基因工程亚单位疫苗和禽衣原体DNA疫苗的研究情况。     

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.     

山东省部分地区家禽鹦鹉热衣原体感染情况调查

为了解山东地区家禽鹦鹉热衣原体(Cps)感染现状,本研究采用间接血凝法(IHA)对2013年~2014年采集自山东潍坊、淄博、济南、临沂、烟台等地区的1 020份鸡、鸭血清样品进行Cps抗体的检测,并对检测数据进行了统计分析;结果显示:IHA测得总阳性率为29.51%(301/1 020);鸡阳性率为25.26%(197/780);鸭阳性率为43.33%(104/240);各地区间阳性率存在一定差异。本调查结果表明,家禽Cps感染在山东地区具有较高的感染率。     

Abortion in cattle caused by Chlamydia psittaci

A case of bovine abortion was for the first time in Switzerland diagnosed by immunohistochemistry PCR (16S rRNA, ompA) and gene sequence analysis to be caused by Chlamydia psittaci. A possible occurence of further cases has to be investigated. Based on the existence of several methods with very different sensitivity and specificity to diagnose chlamydia it is suggested that at least two verified diagnostic tools should be used to diagnose an involvement of chlamydia in bovine abortion.     

1株鹦鹉热衣原体的冻干、鉴定和分子分型研究

从国家兽医微生物菌(毒)种保藏中心领取1支鹦鹉热衣原体CVCC2410进行冻干和鉴定。将衣原体经卵黄囊接种SPF鸡胚进行复壮和传代,收获卵黄囊膜研磨后分装、冻干,并对冻干衣原体进行了无菌检验、真空度测定、染色特性和形态观察、特异性检验、16S rRNA鉴定、分子分型、衣原体含量测定。结果表明冻干衣原体CVCC2410 2203为C型鹦鹉热衣原体,含量为10^5.50ELD₅₀/0.2mL。本研究完善了该株衣原体的信息,为制定鹦鹉热衣原体的入库标准奠定基础。