Diff. Serologie Chlamydia (KB-21-006-008)

Chlamydiaceae are a family of obligate intracellular gram-negative bacteria that can cause diseases in humans and animals. This family includes Chlamydia psittaci, C. abortus, C. trachomatis, and C. caviae. C. psittaci causes ornithose in birds (avian chlamydiosis), and can cause a form of pneumonia in humans, called psittacosis or parrot fever. This notifiable Chlamydia species C. psittaci occurs worldwide in birds such as parrots and pigeons; humans can contract psittacosis from infected birds. Abroad, poultry is seen as a potentially significant source of C. psittaci, and psittacosis is recognised as a typical occupational illness of poultry farmers and poultry workers. However, very little is known about the occurrence of C. psittaci in poultry in The Netherlands.

Knowledge about the occurrence of C. psittaci can easily be gathered by investigating the occurrence of antibodies in serum of poultry, but the methods to do that are not present. In this project, Chlamydia proteins are being identified that are suitable to serve as antigen in assays for detecting antibodies against Chlamydiaceae in avian sera. The result will be a panel of proteins that can be used to answer the question if sera contain antibodies against Chlamydiaceae, and against which Chlamydia species and/or C. psittaci serotype these antibodies are directed. This type of thest can be used to investigated the occurrence of Chlamydiaceae and C. psittaci in Dutch poultry.