title: Emerging Chlamydia psittaci infections in the chicken industry and pathology of Chlamydia psittaci genotype B and D strains in specific pathogen free chickens.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lizi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Isabelle.Kalmar@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Isabelle D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Kalmar
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lagae
authors.affiliation: Department of General Bacteriology, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre, Groeselenbergstraat 99, B-1180 Ukkel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vandendriessche
authors.affiliation: Department of General Bacteriology, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre, Groeselenbergstraat 99, B-1180 Ukkel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wannes
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vanderhaeghen
authors.affiliation: Department of General Bacteriology, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre, Groeselenbergstraat 99, B-1180 Ukkel, Belgium; Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Butaye
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Daisy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vanrompay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002645:Chickens; D002691:Chlamydophila psittaci / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009956:Psittacosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; C069991:outer membrane protein, Chlamydia psittaci 6BC