Skip to main content

Epidemiological Investigation and Genotype of Chlamydia Exposure in Pigeons in Three Provinces in Northern China.

Author
Abstract
:

Chlamydia is considered as one of the most widely prevalent zoonotic pathogens. It can spread from infected birds to human beings through direct or indirect contact with fecal shedding of Chlamydia. However, data concerning prevalence and genotypes of Chlamydia in pigeons are limited. In the present study, a total of 963 serum samples was collected from Jilin Province, Liaoning Province, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR) in China between August 2015 and December 2016 and the seroprevalence for Chlamydia was analyzed by indirect hemagglutination assay test. The seroprevalence of Chlamydia was 20.4% (215/963) in total, at the cutoff 1:16, with the titers of 1:16 in 109, 1:64 in 49, 1:256 in 38, and 1:1024 in 18. Samples from all six administrative cities were detected Chlamydia-seropositive, ranging from 19.0% to 25.0%. Adult pigeons (23.5%) have a significant higher seroprevalence than juveniles (15.2%). Four PCR-positive samples represented Chlamydia psittaci genotype B. This is the first report of Chlamydia infection in pigeons in Liaoning Province and IMAR. The occurrence of C. psittaci genotype B in the droppings of pigeons suggests potential environmental contamination with C. psittaci and may raise a public health concern.

Year of Publication
:
2018
Journal
:
Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)
Date Published
:
2018
ISSN Number
:
1530-3667
URL
:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2017.2214
DOI
:
10.1089/vbz.2017.2214
Short Title
:
Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis
Download citation