Emerging Chlamydia psittaci infections in the chicken industry and pathology of Chlamydia psittaci genotype B and D strains in specific pathogen free chickens

Vet Microbiol. 2013 Mar 23;162(2-4):740-749. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2012.09.026. Epub 2012 Oct 3.

Abstract

Sera of 30 Belgian and 10 Northern French chicken farms were tested by a Chlamydia (C.) psittaci major outer membrane protein (MOMP) based ELISA. Ninety-six percent, 93% and 90% of the Belgian broilers, broiler breeders and layers were seropositive. Ninety-one percent of the French broilers were seropositive. In addition, tissues of 5 Belgian and 5 French broiler farms were examined at slaughter. All French farms were culture positive while C. psittaci was cultured from the lungs of 80% of examined Belgian farms. C. psittaci infections are apparently emerging in chickens raised in Belgium and Northern France. We could proof Hill-Evans postulates for chicken-derived C. psittaci genotype B and D strains. Chicken-processing plant employees should be considered a risk group for human psittacosis. There is a need for higher awareness and for efficient risk assessment and management of C. psittaci infections in chickens as chlamydiosis in broilers seems to be underdiagnosed and infections with highly virulent strains do occur.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Belgium / epidemiology
  • Chickens
  • Chlamydophila psittaci / genetics
  • Chlamydophila psittaci / isolation & purification*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
  • France / epidemiology
  • Genotype
  • Poultry Diseases / epidemiology
  • Poultry Diseases / microbiology*
  • Poultry Diseases / pathology
  • Psittacosis / epidemiology
  • Psittacosis / microbiology
  • Psittacosis / pathology
  • Psittacosis / veterinary*
  • Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms

Substances

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • outer membrane protein, Chlamydia psittaci 6BC