title: Detection of the ompA gene of Chlamydophila pecorum in captive birds in Argentina.
abstract: Bacteria belonging to the family Chlamydiaceae cause a broad spectrum of diseases in a wide range of hosts, including humans, other mammals and birds. However, very little is known about chlamydial infections in birds in our region. In the present study, we examined 28 clinically normal birds in illegal captivity that were confiscated in the province of C6rdoba, Argentina. The objective was to detect Chlamydophila spp. in cloacal swabs by genetic analysis of the ompA gene. Nested-PCR of the ompA gene identified five samples as Chlamydophila pecorum and the sequence analysis demonstrated the presence of the ompA gene of C. pecorum in these birds. On the other hand, Chlamydophila psittaci was not detected. These birds could be either asymptomatic reservoirs or subclinical carriers of C. pecorum. This is the first report of the detection of C. pecorum in Argentina.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Enfermera Gordillo Gómez s/n Ciudad Universitaria (5016) Córdoba, Argentina. mariaceliafrutos@gmail.com
authors.forename: María C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Frutos
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Venezuela
authors.forename: Ximena
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kiguen
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ré
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuffini
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D023501:Chlamydophila / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002988:Cloaca / Q000382:microbiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D046109:Passeriformes / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; C078167:OMPA outer membrane proteins