title: Genetic diversity of Chlamydia among captive birds from central Argentina.
abstract: To study the occurrence of Chlamydia spp. and their genetic diversity, we analysed 793 cloacal swabs from 12 avian orders, including 76 genera, obtained from 80 species of asymptomatic wild and captive birds that were examined with conventional nested polymerase chain reaction and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Chlamydia spp. were not detected in wild birds; however, four species (Chlamydia psittaci, Chlamydia pecorum, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Chlamydia gallinacea) were identified among captive birds (Passeriformes, n = 20; Psittaciformes, n = 15; Rheiformes, n = 8; Falconiformes n = 2; Piciformes n = 2; Anseriformes n = 1; Galliformes n = 1; Strigiformes n = 1). Two pathogens (C. pneumoniae and C. pecorum) were identified simultaneously in samples obtained from captive birds. Based on nucleotide-sequence variations of the ompA gene, three C. psittaci-positive samples detected were grouped into a cluster with the genotype WC derived from mammalian hosts. A single positive sample was phylogenetically related to a new strain of C. gallinacea. This report contributes to our increasing understanding of the abundance of Chlamydia in the animal kingdom.
authors.affiliation: a Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Facultad de Ciencias Médicas , Universidad Nacional de Córdoba , Córdoba , Argentina.
authors.forename: María C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Frutos
authors.forename: Marina S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Monetti
authors.forename: Lucia Gallo
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Vaulet
authors.forename: María E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Cadario
authors.forename: Marcelo Rodríguez
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Fermepin
authors.forename: Viviana E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Ré
authors.forename: Cecilia G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Cuffini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D001717:Birds / Q000382:microbiology*; D002689:Chlamydia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S; C078167:OMPA outer membrane proteins