Occurrence of Chlamydia spp. in wild birds in Thailand

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine
• Main Authors: Suksai Parut, Onket Rattanaporn, Wiriyarat Witthawat, Sangkachai Nareerat, Lekcharoen Paisin, Sariya Ladawan
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2019
• Subjects: asian openbill stork; chlamydia spp; wild bird; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic; Olor
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.4103/1995-7645.250839; https://doaj.org/article/d89b431743f44fcd8825990d9c6145e1

Objective: To determine the occurrence of Chlamydia spp. in wild birds in Thailand. Methods: Cloacal and tracheal swabs of 313 wild birds from 11 orders, 27 families, and 51 species were tested to determine the occurrence of Chlamydia infection. The outer membrane protein A (ompA) gene was amplified from positive samples to construct a phylogenetic tree. Results: At the time of sample collection, none of the birds showed clinical signs of any disease. Of 313 wild birds, two Asian openbill stork (Anastomus oscitans) were positive for Chlamydia spp., representing 0.64% (2/313) and 4.9% (2/41) occurrence for birds overall and for the Asian openbill stork, respectively. Phylogram analysis based on deduced amino acid of the ompA gene showed that Chlamydia spp. in Asian openbill storks was closely related to that in wildfowl (Pica pica and Cygnus olor) from Poland in a different branch with a 95% bootstrap value and had a shorter evolutionary distance to Chlamydia abortus. Conclusions: Asymptomatic Asian openbill storks could be a potential source of Chlamydia infection in domestic animals, poultry, and humans who share their habitat.