title: Persistence of Chlamydia psittaci in Various Temperatures and Times.
abstract: Chlamydia psittaci, an obligate intracellular gram-negative bacteria, causes an important zoonotic disease in humans, namely, psittacosis. The objective of this study was to determine the persistent viability of C. psittaci at various temperature conditions. The cloacal swab samples were collected from feral and racing pigeons to find a C. psittaci field strain. The bacterial isolation showed that 1.3% of feral pigeons were PCR positive, while all samples of racing pigeons were PCR negative. Also, bacterial characterization suggested that it belonged to genotype B, which had bacterial titers 3.2 and 3.89 log 50% lethal dose/ml, respectively. A bacterial persistence test was performed, and the results showed that C. psittaci could survive at 56 C for up to 72 hr. In conclusion, C. psittaci could be found in feral pigeons in central Thailand. The bacteria can survive in equatorial temperature areas. This study was the first to report that C. psittaci could survive and has infectivity at 56 C for 72 hr. Therefore, awareness of C. psittaci infection in humans is necessary and should be a public health concern.
authors.affiliation: A Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-OK, Chonburi 20110, Thailand.
authors.forename: Suwarak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wannaratana
authors.affiliation: B Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Aunyaratana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thontiravong
authors.affiliation: C Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.|D Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases in Animals, Center of Excellence, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Alongkorn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amonsin
authors.affiliation: E Avian Health Research Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Somsak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pakpinyo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D001717:Birds; D002691:Chlamydophila psittaci / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D010856:Columbidae / Q000382:microbiology; D005838:Genotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D009956:Psittacosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013696:Temperature; D013785:Thailand
keywords: Chlamydia psittaci; Thailand; persistence; pigeons; psittacosis; viability