Isolation of Chlamydia from Pneumonic Lungs of Buffaloes, Cattle and Sheep

Abstract

Chlamydia as primary pathogens in pneumonia in cattle (KIUCHI and INABA, 5) and sheep (MCKERCHER, 9) are well established. There has, however, been a paucity of reports on animal chlamydiosis, especially chlamydial pneumonia in India. Based on adequate sero-evidence in apparently healthy cattle (53 O/o), sheep (43.6 O/o) and buffaloes (44 O/o) (DHINGRA, 3), a pilot study on the isolation of chlamydia from pneumonic lungs of buffaloes, cattle and sheep was undertaken. Material and MethodsPneumonic lung pieces from buffaloes (9) and sheep (19) were obtained from abattoirs and from cattle (3) at necropsy. All samples were kept in chilled transport medium containing antibiotics (WHO,9) and transported to the laboratory immediately. A 20 O/o inoculum was prepared in sucrose potassium glutamate (SPG) medium (BOVARNICK et al., 1) and tested for sterility. Samples found contaminated with non-pathogenic organisms, as revealed by cultural tests, were inoculated as such into healthy guinea pigs. The possibility of latent chlamydial infection in experimental guinea pigs was ruled out by testing paired sera for chlamydial group antibodies. Two guinea pigs were inoculated intra-peritoneally with 2 ml. of inoculum. One guinea pig was inoculated similarly with SPG medium as control. Rectal temperature was recorded. After an observation period of 2-3 weeks, inoculated animals were sacrificed and the gross pathology of the viscera was examined. From spleens showing splenomegaly two impression smears were prepared. One smear was stained with Giemsa stain and if cytoplasmic elementary body inclusions were observed, the spleen was processed in embryonating eggs for demonstration of elementary bodies (EB) in Gimenez stained yolk sac (YS) smears. The other smear was fixed in chilled acetone and stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated antiserum (prepared against the Bour strain of C. trachomatis) to determine the presence of group antigen. Results and DiscussionNone of the 31 pneumonic lungs processed for isolation of chlamydia could be made absolutely free from contaminants by the antibiotics (Strepto-U. S.

Respiratory infection of lambs with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae

“…Infectious pneumonia is a common disease especially of young lambs in all sheep producing countries of the world. , Pasteurella multocida Kaeberle, unpublished data), occasionally other bacteria Bakke and Nostvold, 1982;, various mycoplasmas Bakke and Nostvold, 1982;Cottew, 1971;Pfeffer, 1981), chlamydia (Dhingra et al, 1980;Foggie, 1977;, adenoviruses (Adair et al, 1982;Belak and Palfi, 1974;, parainfluenza virus type 3 (Davies, 1980;Hore et al, 1968;Lehmkuhl and Cutlip, 1982), reoviruses and some nonclassified Gram-negative bacteria (Bosworth and Lovell, 1944) . Paateurella sp.…”

Seroprevalence studies on animal chlamydiosis amongst ruminants in five states of India

“…Chlamydial diseases amongst ruminants are known in India since long time [ 13 , 14 ] but as the result of using improved diagnostic techniques in recent years, chlamydiosis has been recognized as one of the important health problems in livestock [ 15 - 17 ]. Recent serological surveys carried out in many countries to know the status of chlamydiosis in native livestock species using different screening tests have revealed the prevalence of this disease to variable extent in both diseased and normal animals [ 17 - 19 ].…”