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Home / Equine Research Bank / Aust Vet J / Chlamydia psittaci: a suspected cause of reproductive loss i...
Australian veterinary journal2020; 98(11); 570-573; doi: 10.1111/avj.13010

Chlamydia psittaci: a suspected cause of reproductive loss in three Victorian horses.

Abstract: Chlamydia psittaci was detected by PCR in the lung and equine foetal membranes of two aborted equine foetuses and one weak foal from two different studs in Victoria, Australia. The abortions occurred in September 2019 in two mares sharing a paddock northeast of Melbourne. The weak foal was born in October 2019 in a similar geographical region and died soon after birth despite receiving veterinary care. The detection of C. psittaci DNA in the lung and equine foetal membranes of the aborted or weak foals and the absence of any other factors that are commonly associated with abortion or neonatal death suggest that this pathogen may be the cause of the reproductive loss. The detection of C. psittaci in these cases is consistent with the recent detection of C. psittaci in association with equine abortion in New South Wales. These cases in Victoria show that C. psittaci, and the zoonotic risk it poses, should be considered in association with equine reproductive loss in other areas of Australia.
© 2020 Australian Veterinary Association.
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Publication Date: 2020-08-23 PubMed ID: 32830314DOI: 10.1111/avj.13010Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research investigates the potential link between the bacterial infection Chlamydia psittaci and reproductive loss in horses, documenting instances in Victoria, Australia.

Introduction

  • The research focused on the presence of Chlamydia psittaci, a type of bacteria, in horses in the region of Victoria, Australia.
  • Scientists sought to explore the potential links between this bacterial presence and incidents of reproductive loss in the affected animals.

Findings

  • PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), a molecular biology technique used to amplify and detect genomic DNA, was applied, which confirmed the presence of Chlamydia psittaci in lung and equine foetal membranes of two aborted equine foetuses and one weak foal from two separate studs in Victoria.
  • Incidents of abortion were recorded in September 2019 with the aborted foals’ mares having shared a paddock in the northeast of Melbourne.
  • The weak foal was born in October 2019. Although the foal was treated, it did not survive and died shortly after birth.

Implications

  • The absence of commonly known factors causing abortion or neonatal death lead the researchers to consider Chlamydia psittaci as the potential cause of reproductive loss in these cases.
  • Findings further aligned with previous research documenting the association of Chlamydia psittaci with equine abortion in New South Wales, thus solidifying the validity of this correlation.
  • This research signifies the necessity for further investigation into the zoonotic risk posed by Chlamydia psittaci, especially in relation to equine reproductive losses in Australia and potentially elsewhere.

Cite This Article

APA
Akter R, Stent AW, Sansom FM, Gilkerson JR, Burden C, Devlin JM, Legione AR, El-Hage CM. (2020). Chlamydia psittaci: a suspected cause of reproductive loss in three Victorian horses. Aust Vet J, 98(11), 570-573. https://doi.org/10.1111/avj.13010

Publication

Australian veterinary journal
ISSN: 1751-0813
NlmUniqueID: 0370616
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 98
Issue: 11
Pages: 570-573

Researcher Affiliations

Akter, R
  • Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, The Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
  • Department of Medicine (RMH), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
Stent, A W
  • The Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, Victoria, 3030, Australia.
Sansom, F M
  • Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, The Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
Gilkerson, J R
  • Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, The Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
Burden, C
  • Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital, Congupna, Victoria, 3633, Australia.
Devlin, J M
  • Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, The Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
Legione, A R
  • Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, The Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
El-Hage, C M
  • Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, The Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.

MeSH Terms

  • Abortion, Veterinary / epidemiology
  • Animals
  • Chlamydophila psittaci
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horses
  • New South Wales
  • Pregnancy
  • Victoria / epidemiology

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Citations

This article has been cited 7 times.
  1. El-Hage C, Legione A, Devlin J, Hughes K, Jenkins C, Gilkerson J. Equine Psittacosis and the Emergence of Chlamydia psittaci as an Equine Abortigenic Pathogen in Southeastern Australia: A Retrospective Data Analysis.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jul 28;13(15).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13152443pubmed: 37570252google scholar: lookup
  2. White RT, Anstey SI, Kasimov V, Jenkins C, Devlin J, El-Hage C, Pannekoek Y, Legione AR, Jelocnik M. One clone to rule them all: Culture-independent genomics of Chlamydia psittaci from equine and avian hosts in Australia.. Microb Genom 2022 Oct;8(10).
    doi: 10.1099/mgen.0.000888pubmed: 36269227google scholar: lookup
  3. Akter R, El-Hage CM, Sansom FM, Carrick J, Devlin JM, Legione AR. Metagenomic investigation of potential abortigenic pathogens in foetal tissues from Australian horses.. BMC Genomics 2021 Oct 2;22(1):713.
    doi: 10.1186/s12864-021-08010-5pubmed: 34600470google scholar: lookup
  4. Anstey SI, Kasimov V, Jenkins C, Legione A, Devlin J, Amery-Gale J, Gilkerson J, Hair S, Perkins N, Peel AJ, Borel N, Pannekoek Y, Chaber AL, Woolford L, Timms P, Jelocnik M. Chlamydia Psittaci ST24: Clonal Strains of One Health Importance Dominate in Australian Horse, Bird and Human Infections.. Pathogens 2021 Aug 11;10(8).
    doi: 10.3390/pathogens10081015pubmed: 34451478google scholar: lookup
  5. Stokes HS, Berg ML, Bennett ATD. A Review of Chlamydial Infections in Wild Birds.. Pathogens 2021 Jul 28;10(8).
    doi: 10.3390/pathogens10080948pubmed: 34451412google scholar: lookup
  6. Jelocnik M, Nyari S, Anstey S, Playford N, Fraser TA, Mitchell K, Blishen A, Pollak NM, Carrick J, Chicken C, Jenkins C. Real-time fluorometric and end-point colorimetric isothermal assays for detection of equine pathogens C. psittaci and equine herpes virus 1: validation, comparison and application at the point of care.. BMC Vet Res 2021 Aug 19;17(1):279.
    doi: 10.1186/s12917-021-02986-8pubmed: 34412635google scholar: lookup
  7. Akter R, Sansom FM, El-Hage CM, Gilkerson JR, Legione AR, Devlin JM. A 25-year retrospective study of Chlamydia psittaci in association with equine reproductive loss in Australia.. J Med Microbiol 2021 Feb;70(2).
    doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.001284pubmed: 33258756google scholar: lookup
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