Detection and PCR-Based Diagnosis of Chlamydia Psittacci Isolated from Some Avian Species in Egypt
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Abstract
Background: Chlamydia psittaci is the causative agent of human and avian psittacosis and it is an essential causative pathogen of broad spread zoonotic psittacosis.
Materials and methods: 233 serum samples, 330 fecal swabs and 64 tracheal swabs were obtained from ducks, ostriches, quills and pigeons of different ages and regions. Chlamydia psittaci was isolated using embryonated chicken eggs. Gimenez stain was used for staining the yielded yolk sac membranes. Immunoperoxidase test was used for detecting the inclusion bodies. For identification of Chlamydia psittaci by PCR, DNA was extracted using genomic DNA purification kit. Oligonucleotide primers were used for amplification of 16 S rRNA of C. psittaci by PCR and also for complete amplification of ompA of C. psittaci. CFT was conducted for serodiagnosis. Results: Positive samples showed dwarfed and congested embryos with congestion of their yolk sac vessels. Immuno-peroxidase stain positive slides showed discrete, densely labeled brown inclusion bodies was seen with in transparent back ground. The PCR results of chlamydia psittaci isolates showed that, in fecal samples, ostrich species had +ve % for chlamydia psittaci (91.7 %), pigeon (86.7 %), quail (85.7 %), duck (80 %). In the tracheal swabs, only ostrich species were positive for chlamydia psittaci (83.3 %). Samples of each studied species were positive for the presence of 16 S rRNA gene of chlamydia psittaci, and, out of 16 samples, 16 (100%) was positive for ompA. Serodiagnosis by Complement fixation test showed that, out of 233 samples, 93 samples were positive for chlamydiae psittaci.
Conclusion: The findings highlights the significance of C. psittaci diagnosis by PCR among birds to detect the possible carrier birds that can be a potential source of infection to other birds, or resembling a risk to individuals as being a zoonotic disease.