title: Evaluation of the presence and zoonotic transmission of Chlamydia suis in a pig slaughterhouse.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A significant number of studies on pig farms and wild boars worldwide, demonstrate the endemic presence of Chlamydia suis in pigs. However, the zoonotic potential of this pathogen, phylogenetically closely related to Chlamydia trachomatis, is still uninvestigated. Therefore, this study aims to examine the zoonotic transmission in a Belgian pig abattoir.
  
  
  METHODS
  Presence of Chlamydia suis in pigs, contact surfaces, air and employees was assessed using a Chlamydia suis specific real-time PCR and culture. Furthermore, Chlamydia suis isolates were tested for the presence of the tet(C) gene.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chlamydia suis bacteria could be demonstrated in samples from pigs, the air and contact surfaces. Moreover, eye swabs of two employees were positive for Chlamydia suis by both PCR and culture. The tet(C) gene was absent in both human Chlamydia suis isolates and no clinical signs were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest the need for further epidemiological and clinical research to elucidate the significance of human ocular Chlamydia suis infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Ghent, Coupure Links 653, Gent, B-9000, Belgium. Kristien.DePuysseleyr@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Kristien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Puysseleyr
authors.forename: Leentje
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Puysseleyr
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dhondt
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Geens
authors.forename: Lutgart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Braeckman
authors.forename: Servaas A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Morré
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Daisy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vanrompay
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002689:Chlamydia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission