Chlamydia psittaci exposure in pet birds.
Chlamydia psittaci is a zoonotic pathogen with a wide range of avian hosts and may be transmitted to humans and cause severe disease. To assess the risk of psittacosis posed by pet birds, the seroprevalence of Chlamydia psittaci antibodies in 360 Eurasian siskins (Carduelis spinus), 289 oriental skylarks (Alauda arvensis) and 36 black-tailed grosbeaks (Coccothraustes migratorius) in Gansu province, north-western China was detected by an indirect haemagglutination assay. Twenty-seven out of 289 (9.34 %) Alauda arvensis, 45 out of 360 (12.50 %) Carduelis spinus and 2 out of 36 (5.56 %) Coccothraustes migratorius were positive for Chlamydia psittaci infection at a cut-off dilution of 1 : 16. The prevalence of Chlamydia psittaci was higher in Carduelis spinus (12.5 %) than in Alauda arvensis (9.34 %) and Coccothraustes migratorius (5.56 %); however, the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Statistical analysis indicated that Chlamydia psittaci seroprevalence in adult pet birds (12.4 %, 67/540) was significantly higher than that in juvenile pet birds (4.83 %, 7/145) (P<0.01). There was no statistical difference in Chlamydia psittaci seroprevalence between male (12.4 %) and female (8.27 %) birds. To our knowledge, this is the first report indicating the seroprevalence of Chlamydia psittaci exposure in pet birds in China. Our results indicate that close contact with pet birds poses the risk of zoonotic transmission of Chlamydia psittaci.
College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130118, PR China.|State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, PR China.
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Cong
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, PR China.
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Huang
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, PR China.
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Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, PR China.
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Zhou
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, PR China.
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Xu
College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130118, PR China.
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Zhao
College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130118, PR China.
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Qian
College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130118, PR China.|State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, PR China.
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Zhu
D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D001717:Birds; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002691:Chlamydophila psittaci / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D057805:Pets; D009956:Psittacosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies