title: Antibody prevalence and isolation of Chlamydia psittaci from pigeons (Columba livia).
abstract: The isolation of Chlamydia psittaci and serological detection of Chlamydia-specific antibodies in racing pigeons and pigeons from public parks is described. Several serological methods (complement fixation test, indirect microimmunofluorescence test, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were compared with bacteriological techniques (isolation both in embryonated eggs and McCoy cell monolayers). Tests confirmed that 28.6%, 33.5%, and 35.9% of the pigeons, respectively, were seropositive by the tests mentioned above. Chlamydiae were isolated from 13% of the fecal specimens in ovocultures and from 18% of the fecal specimens in cell cultures. No significant differences between the two groups of pigeons were found (at a 95% confidence level, alpha = 0.05) using the hypothesis test of the difference between proportions of two populations. The serological and bacteriological techniques used are compared and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salinas
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Caro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cuello
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002691:Chlamydophila psittaci / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010856:Columbidae / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000662:veterinary; D009956:Psittacosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial