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Prevalence of Chlamydia psittaci in different cat populations in Britain
Author(s) -
WILLS J. M.,
HOWARD P. E.,
GRUFFYDDJONES T. J.,
WATHES C. M.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of small animal practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1748-5827
pISSN - 0022-4510
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-5827.1988.tb02293.x
Subject(s) - chlamydia psittaci , cats , serology , chlamydia , medicine , veterinary medicine , indirect immunofluorescence , antibody , immunology
The prevalence of Chlamydia psittaci infection in household, feral and farm cats in Britain was investigated. Chlamydia were isolated from 30 per cent of conjunctival swabs collected from 753 household cats with conjunctivitis. The prevalence of active chlamydial infection was highest in cats in the age group five weeks to nine months. Males were more frequently infected than females. Cats with chlamydial conjunctivitis usually had antibody titres greater than 1024 as assessed by indirect immunofluorescence. Chlamydia appeared to be endemic in two out of three feral cat colonies on the basis of serological evidence and occasional isolations. Cats on 10 of 22 sheep farms (45 per cent) had serological evidence of chlamydial infection, and this was confirmed on two farms by isolation of the organism from conjunctival and, or, rectal swabs. This is the first survey of infection with Chlamydia psittaci in cat populations in Britain.