Detection of Chlamydia psittaci in samples of chicks of the Talking Parrot (Amazona aestiva) seized in Santa Fe, Argentina.

Abstract

Psittacosis is an acute infectious zoonotic disease caused by Chlamydia psittaci (Cps), whose report is mandatory for the doctor and the veterinarian. In humans, suspicion is generally low, since it can present different respiratory and/or extrapulmonary compromise. The commercialization of wild parrots is prohibited in Argentina (Law 22,421), however, when it occurs, they are crammed into small containers, in conditions of animal abuse. It was shown in the province of Córdoba that free birds do not excrete Cps; while they can, under captive conditions. Nine genotypes are known: A-F and E/B related to birds, being A, highly virulent and M56/WC associated with mammals. Objective: To detect the presence of Cps in pigeons, recovered from illegal trafficking, at the Fauna Rescue and Interpretation Center, La Esmeralda, in December 2021.

Samples of 32 individuals have been obtained representative of a total of 90 pigeons . Ocular, oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs were collected from each bird (samples pool) with and without signs compatible with Cps. A portion of the gene encoding 16SrRNA of the genus Chlamydia was amplified by nested multiplex PCR(PCRMA). Subsequently, another nested PCR was performed that amplifies the ompA region to identify the Cps species and the sequences of the PCR products analyzed with the MEGA 5 program.

The 53.3% of the individuals studied were Cps(+), all of them were genotype A. Cps (+) birds were isolated and all confiscated birds received treatment with a specific antibiotic for Cps. The 90% of the pigeons seized died; while in July 2022, 5 parrots were released from that confiscation, in a reserve in the Santa Fe wooded wedge. A high prevalence of Cps genotype A infection was observed among the seized birds. Confirmations by molecular methods and genotyping of Cps on samples from birds or mammals have diagnostic and epidemiological relevance and allow the rapid application of specific treatment.

We consider that there are multiple causes of death of birds in addition to infection by Cps; optimizing the infrastructure of the Rescue Center would reduce the mortality of confiscated birds. The illegal trafficking of fauna continues to affect biodiversity due to the lack of knowledge in the general population and because this problem is not taken as a state policy.