title: Ocular chlamydial zoonosis: an experimental study in monkeys.
abstract: Two locally isolated strains of Chlamydia psittaci from faeces of apparently healthy sheep and conjunctiva of Holstein heifers suffering from conjunctivitis and pneumonia were used for ocular experimental studies in 7 Rhesus monkeys. Titrated (ELD50 10(3.6)/0.2 ml and 10(4.5)/0.2 ml) partially purified yolk sac suspension of each strain was instilled onto conjunctiva of each animal. The clinical and laboratory studies were followed till 8 weeks post-infection. Both the strains produced trachoma like follicles (0.3-0.5 mm dia) preferably on lower conjunctiva between 2-4 weeks of post-infection. Pannus was not observed in any of the experimental eye. Laboratory studies revealed a good correlation between reisolation, fluorescent antibody test and cytology between 2-4 weeks of post-infection. Highest complement fixing antibody titre 1:32 was recorded in 4 out of 7 animals. The studies indicated that both the animal strains had no barrier across ocular tissues in monkeys, vis-à-vis human conjunctiva.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Bacteriology and Virology, College of Veterinary Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India.
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Dhingra
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Mahajan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002691:Chlamydophila psittaci / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D009956:Psittacosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D012756:Sheep; D015047:Zoonoses