Chlamydia pecorum is the endemic intestinal species in cattle while C. gallinacea, C. psittaci and C. pneumoniae associate with sporadic systemic infection.
To investigate the prevalence and diversity of bovine Chlamydia spp. in cattle, whole blood from dairy and beef cattle in 11 provinces of China (n=2003) and vaginal swabs, whole blood samples, feces, milk samples from cows in a Yangzhou dairy farm (n=108) were examined using genus- and species-specific PCRs. In cattle from 11 provinces, 2.4% (48/2003) of whole-blood samples were positive for Chlamydia spp., and four Chlamydia species (C. pneumoniae, 41.7%, 20/48; C. psittaci, 22.9%, 11/48; C. gallinacea, 20.8%, 10/48; C. pecorum, 6.3%, 3/48) were identified. In a further study on a Yangzhou dairy farm, 64.8% (70/108) of the cows were positive for Chlamydia spp. C. pecorum was the intestinal endemic species (51/51, 100%), and C. gallinacea was the most frequent species in vaginal swabs (24/27, 88.9%), whole blood buffy coats (5/8, 62.5%) and milk (4/6, 66.7%). C. psittaci and C. pneumoniae were infrequently detected. DNA sequencing of the ompA gene demonstrated the presence of multiple in-herd C. pecorum serovars and single C. gallinacea and C. psittaci serovars which were identical with those of poultry from Yangzhou. This is the first report of C. gallinacea and C. pneumoniae in cattle. Further study is required to address the transmission of Chlamydia spp., in particular of C. gallinacea and C. pneumoniae from their natural hosts, and their potential pathogenic effect on health and production of cattle.
Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
Jing
J
Li
College of Animal Science, Anhui Science and Technology University, Anhui, China.
Weina
W
Guo
College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.
Bernhard
B
Kaltenboeck
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), Jena, Germany. Electronic address: konrad.sachse@uni-jena.de.
Konrad
K
Sachse
Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
Yi
Y
Yang
Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
Guangwu
G
Lu
Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
Jilei
J
Zhang
Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
Lu
L
Luan
Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
Jinfeng
J
You
Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
Ke
K
Huang
Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
Haixiang
H
Qiu
Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
Yaoyao
Y
Wang
Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
Min
M
Li
Yangzhou University College of Animal Science, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
Zhangping
Z
Yang
Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China; College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA. Electronic address: wangche@auburn.edu.
Chengming
C
Wang
D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002689:Chlamydia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000382:microbiology; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013045:Species Specificity
C. pecorum; C. pneumoniae; Cattle; Chlamydia gallinacea; FRET-PCR