Mixed infections with porcine Chlamydia trachomatis/pecorum and infections with ruminant Chlamydia psittaci serovar 1 associated with abortions in swine

doi:10.1016/S0378-1135(97)00154-5

Veterinary Microbiology

Volume 58, Issues 2–4, November 1997, Pages 251-260

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1135(97)00154-5 Get rights and content

Abstract

In a previous immunohistological study, chlamydiae were detected in 5 out of 139 cases of swine abortion, and a possible implication of C. psittaci serovar 1 was suggested. The present study sought to classify the chlamydiae found in the fetal organs of these abortions. DNA extracted from 15 paraffin-embedded tissue speciments (10 livers and 5 lungs, obtained from 10 fetuses from 9 cases of abortion) was amplified in a nested PCR with Chlamydia ompl genus-specific primers. Chlamydia DNA was amplified in 9 liver and 2 lung specimens. Eight of the amplification products were cloned, and 5 clones of each amplification were sequenced. Sequence analysis demonstrated in 7 specimens the simultaneous presence of porcine C. trachomatis S45 and C. pecorum 1710S ompl genotypes. All DNA fragments of 1 amplification were identical to the ruminant C. psittaci B577 ompl genotype (serovar 1). The results suggest that mixed infections with porcine C. trachomatis and C. pecorum dominate chlamydial infections associated with abortion in swine, but ruminant abortigenic C. psittaci are also found.

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Abortion associated with Chlamydia abortus in extensively reared Iberian sows
2012, Veterinary Journal
Reproductive disease was investigated in Iberian pigs on an extensive farrow-to-finish farm in the southwest of Spain. Chlamydia abortus was isolated in cell culture and C. abortus-specific PCR products were detected in placental and fetal tissues. In one batch of 14 sows, the percentage of sera positive for C. abortus specific antibodies increased from 35.7% to 85.7% in the period of 2 weeks following abortion. C. abortus may play a role in abortion in extensively reared Iberian sows.
Detection of all Chlamydophila and Chlamydia spp. of veterinary interest using species-specific real-time PCR assays
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Citation Excerpt :
pecorum and Cp. psittaci were described by Schiller et al. [23], and later by Teankum et al. [24] and Kauffold et al. [25]. As dual infections are apparently no rare events, the combined application of different, highly specific diagnostic tests is essential for epidemiological studies to be comprehensive.
The aim of the present study was to analyse the occurrence of chlamydiae in several mammalian host species. Clinical samples that previously tested positive in a Chlamydiaceae-specific real-time PCR were retested using six species-specific real-time PCR assays to identify the chlamydial species involved. Chlamydophila (Cp.) abortus was the agent most frequently found in cattle, sheep, horses, goats, and pigs. Detection in cattle of Cp. psittaci (11% of samples) and Chlamydia (C.) suis (9%), as well as Cp. psittaci in a goat sample was somewhat unexpected. DNA of two different chlamydiae was identified in 56 (12.7%) of 440 samples tested. Cp. felis was the predominant species found in cats, while in guinea pigs and rabbits only Cp. caviae was detected. Interestingly, the latter two pathogens were also identified in samples from dogs. The data show that mixed chlamydial infections are not rare and suggest an extended host range of individual species.
L’objectif de la présente étude est d’analyser l’occurrence de chlamydiae et ce, dans plusieurs espèces mammaliennes hôtes. Des échantillons cliniques, préalablement confirmés positifs par PCR en temps réel spécifique de la famille des Chlamydiaceae, ont été de nouveau testés via six PCR en temps réel espèces-spécifiques. Ainsi, il en résulte que Chlamydophila (Cp.) abortus est fréquemment retrouvé chez les bovins, moutons, chevaux, chèvres et cochons. La détection de Cp. psittaci and Chlamydia (C.) suis chez les bovidés (11% et 9% respectivement) ainsi que de Cp. psittaci dans un échantillon d́ovidé se révèle quelque peu inattendu. Sur 440 échantillons testés, 56 (soit 12,7%) contiennent l’ADN de deux espèces différentes de chlamydiae. Cp. felis représente l’espèce dominante chez le chat alors que Cp. caviae est présente uniquement chez les cobaye et lapin. Curieusement, ces deux pathogènes sont également détectés dans des échantillons d’origine canine. Les données tendent à démontrer que les infections simultanées par différentes espèces chlamydiales sont rarement des cas isolés et suggèrent dès lors d’étendre la gamme d’hôtes des espèces individuelles.
Recent developments in the laboratory diagnosis of chlamydial infections
2009, Veterinary Microbiology
There are two main approaches to diagnosing infections by Chlamydia and Chlamydophila spp. in mammals and birds. The first involves the direct detection of the agent in tissue or swab samples, while the second involves the serological screening of blood samples for the presence of anti-chlamydial antibodies. Ultimately, the test that is used is dependent on the types of samples that are submitted to the diagnostic laboratory for analysis.
The present paper gives an overview on methodologies and technologies used currently in diagnosis of chlamydial infections with emphasis on recently developed tests. The performance characteristics of individual methods, such as the detection of antigen in smears and in pathological samples, the isolation of the pathogen, various antibody detection tests and DNA-based methods utilising conventional and real-time PCR, as well as DNA microarray technology are assessed, and specific advantages and drawbacks are discussed. Further, a combination of a specific real-time PCR assay and a microarray test for chlamydiae is proposed as an alternative reference standard to isolation by cell culture.
Experimental enteric infection of gnotobiotic piglets with Chlamydia suis strain S45
2009, Veterinary Microbiology
Enteric chlamydial infections of pigs with Chlamydia (C.) suis are frequent and often subclinical. The enteric pathogenicity of C. suis strain S45 was investigated in gnotobiotic piglets. Piglets from three litters (n = 31) were inoculated with egg-grown chlamydiae at 2–3 days of age (n = 17) or used as controls (n = 14). They were observed for clinical signs, killed and necropsied sequentially at 2–13 days postinoculation (DPI). Feces were collected daily and investigated with an ELISA for chlamydial antigen. At necropsy, specimens were collected for histopathology and for immunohistochemical, PCR-based, and serological (complement fixation test, ELISA) detection of chlamydiae.
Chlamydial replication and associated symptoms and lesions were observed from 2 to 13 DPI and were particularly pronounced within the first week PI. Clinical symptoms consisted of moderate-to-severe diarrhea, slight and transient anorexia, weakness and body weight loss. Immunohistochemistry and ELISA revealed that chlamydial replication was particularly marked at 2–4 DPI and primarily located in the small intestinal villus enterocytes. Further sites of replication included large intestinal enterocytes, the lamina propria and Tunica submucosa, and the mesenteric lymphnodes. Histopathological changes included moderate-to-severe villus atrophy with flattened enterocytes and focal villus tip erosions, and moderate mucosal inflammatory cell infiltrates and lymphangitis in the small intestine. PCR of spleen tissue and blood was mostly negative for chlamydiae, indicating that they did not substantially disseminate into the host up to 13 DPI. All sera were negative for anti-chlamydial antibodies. In conclusion, C. suis strain S45 elicited significant enteric disease and lesions in gnotobiotic piglets indicating its pathogenic potential for swine.
Comprehensive genome analysis and comparisons of the swine pathogen, Chlamydia suis reveals unique ORFs and candidate host-specificity factors
2021, Pathogens and Disease

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Veterinary Microbiology

Abstract

References (27)

Basic local alignment search tool

J. Mol. Biol.

Typing Chlamydia psittaci: a review of methods and recent findings

Br. Vet. J.

A general method applicable to the search for similarities in the amino acid sequence of two proteins

J. Mol. Biol.

Experimental infections of pregnant sows with ovine Chlamydia psittaci strains

Vet. Microbiol.

Diversity among abortion strains of Chlamydia psittaci demonstrated by inclusion morphology, polypeptide profiles and monoclonal antibodies

Vet. Microbiol.

Chlamydial diseases in swine

Ovine enzootic abortion: the acquisition of infection and consequent abortion within a single lambing season

Vet. Rec.

Untersuchungen zu infektiösen ursachen für aborte und totgeburten beim schwein in der schweiz

J. Vet. Med. B

Classification of chlamydiae by rDNA sequence analysis

Restriction endonuclease analysis of DNA from two isolates of Chlamydia psittaci obtained from human abortions

Br. Med. J.

Multiple genotypes of Chlamydia trachomatis in swine and putative new chlamydial species of avian and equine origin identified by Chlamydia ompl-PCR

Biological properties and genetic analysis of the ompA locus in chlamydiae isolated from swine

Am. J. Vet. Res.

Structures of and allelic diversity and relationships among the major outer membrane protein (ompA) genes of the four chlamydial species

J. Bacteriol.

Cited by (58)

Female Genital System

Abortion associated with Chlamydia abortus in extensively reared Iberian sows

Detection of all Chlamydophila and Chlamydia spp. of veterinary interest using species-specific real-time PCR assays

Recent developments in the laboratory diagnosis of chlamydial infections

Experimental enteric infection of gnotobiotic piglets with Chlamydia suis strain S45

Comprehensive genome analysis and comparisons of the swine pathogen, Chlamydia suis reveals unique ORFs and candidate host-specificity factors