Chlamydia abortus in brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) from the gulf of California, Mexico

Main Article Content

Magalena Limón-González
Rosalía Avalos-Téllez
Erika Gabriela Palomares Resendiz
Rigoberto Hernández-Castro
Efren Díaz Aparicio

Abstract

The brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) is a migratory subspecies that nests on the islands of the gulf of California, in the Pacific Northwest. The objective of this study was to identify Chlamydia species in brown pelican samples obtained in 2016, 2017, and 2021. Samples were taken from the cloacae and choanae of 86 brown pelicans in specimens ranging from three to seven weeks of age. The samples were obtained with sterile swabs and transferred to an SPG growth medium. The DNA was extracted to carry out a real-time PCR that detects the gene of the 235 rRNA subunit of the Chlamydiaceae family. In addition, real-time PCR directed to the ompA gene was performed to determine the Chlamydia species. Of the 86 sampled pelicans, four were positive for the family Chlamydiaceae and Chlamydia abortus. This is the first report of C. abortus in brown pelicans from the gulf of California, Mexico.

Keywords:
Chlamydia abortus, Pelecanus occidentalis, Gulf of California, Mexico, Real-time PCR

Article Details

References

Anderson DW, Godínez-Reyes CR, Velarde E, Avalos-Téllez R, Ramírez-Delgado D, Moreno-Prado H, Bowen T, Gress F, Trejo-Ventura J, Adrean L, Meltzer L. Brown pelicans, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus (Aves: Pelecanidae): five decades with ENSO, dynamic nesting, and contemporary breeding status in the gulf of California. Ciencias Marinas. 2017;43:1-34. doi: 10.7773/cm.v43i1.2710. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7773/cm.v43i1.2710

Semarnat. Islas y áreas protegidas del golfo de California [Blog]. Gobierno mexicano. 2021. https://www.gob.mx/semarnat/articulos/islas-y-areas-protegidas-del-golfo-de-california-269050

Burnard D, Polkinghorne A. Chlamydial infections in wildlife-conservation threats and/or reservoirs of 'spill-over' infections? Veterinary Microbiology. 2016;30(196):78-84. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2016.10.018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2016.10.018

Stokes HS, Berg ML, Bennett ATD. A review of chlamydial infections in wild birds. Pathogens. 2021;10(8):948. doi: 10.3390/pathogens10080948. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10080948

Krawiec M, Piasecki T, Wieliczko A. Prevalence of Chlamydia psittaci and other Chlamydia species in wild birds in Poland. Vector Borne Zoonotic Diseases. 2015;15(11):652-655. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2015.1814. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2015.1814

Herrmann B, Rahman R, Bergström S, Bonnedahl J, Olsen B. Chlamydophila abortus in a brown skua (Catharacta antarctica lonnbergi) from a subantarctic island. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2000;66(8):3654-3656. doi: 10.1128/AEM.66.8.3654-3656.2000. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.66.8.3654-3656.2000

Pantchev A, Sting R, Bauerfeind R, Tyczka J, Sachse K. New real-time PCR tests for species-specific detection of Chlamydophila psittaci and Chlamydophila abortus from tissue samples. Veterinary Journal. 2009;181(2):145-150. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2008.02.025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2008.02.025

Sachse K, Vretou E, Livingstone M, Borel N, Pospischil A, Longbottom D. Recent developments in the laboratory diagnosis of chlamydial infections. Veterinary Microbiology. 2009;135(1-2):2-21. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2008.09.040. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2008.09.040

Ehricht R, Slickers P, Goellner S, Hotzel H, Sachse K. Optimized DNA microarray assay allows detection and genotyping of single PCR-amplifiable target copies. Molecular and Cellular Probes. 2006;20(1):60-63. doi: 10.1016/j.mcp.2005.09.003. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcp.2005.09.003

Seibert BA, Keel MK, Kelly TR, Nilsen RA, Ciembor P, Pesti D, Gregory CR, Ritchie BW, Hawkins MG. Chlamydia buteonis in birds of prey presented to California wildlife rehabilitation facilities. PLoS One. 2021;16(10): e0258500. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258500. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258500

Pollard M. Ornithosis in sea-shore birds. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 1947;64(2):200-202. doi: 10.3181/00379727-64-15745. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3181/00379727-64-15745

Origlia JA, Cadario ME, Frutos MC, Lopez NF, Corva S, Unzaga MF, Piscopo MV, Cuffini C, Petruccelli MA. Detection and molecular characterization of Chlamydia psittaci and Chlamydia abortus in psittacine pet birds in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Revista Argentina de Microbiologia. 2019;51(2):130-135. doi: 10.1016/j.ram.2018.04.003. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ram.2018.04.003

Zaręba-Marchewka K, Szymańska-Czerwińska M, Livingstone M, Longbottom D, Niemczuk K. Whole genome sequencing and comparative genome analyses of Chlamydia abortus strains of avian origin suggests that Chlamydia abortus species should be expanded to include avian and mammalian subgroups. Pathogens. 2021;10(11):1405. doi: 10.3390/pathogens10111405. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10111405

Hulin V, Bernard P, Vorimore F, Aaziz R, Cléva D, Robineau J, Durand B, Angelis L, Siarkou VI, Laroucau K. Assessment of Chlamydia psittaci shedding and environmental contamination as potential sources of worker exposure throughout the mule duck breeding process. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2015;82(5):1504-1518. doi: 10.1128/AEM.03179-15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.03179-15

Szymańska -Czerwinska M, Niemczuk K. Avian chlamydiosis zoonotic disease. Vector-Borne Zoonotic Diseases. 2016;16(1):1-3. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2015.1839. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2015.1839

Dusek RJ, Justice-Allen A, Bodenstein B, Knowles S, Grear DA, Adams L, Levy C, Yaglom HD, Shearn-Bochsler VI, Ciembor PG, Gregory CR, Pesti D, Ritchie BW. Chlamydia psittaci in feral Rosy-faced lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis) and other backyard birds in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. Journal of Wildlife Disease. 2018; 54:248-260. doi: 10.7589/2017-06-145. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7589/2017-06-145

Panigrahy B, Grimes JE, Brown CD. Recent increase in incidence of chlamydiosis (psittacosis) in psittacine birds in Texas. Avian Disease. 1978;806-808. doi: 10.2307/1589662. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1589662

Schwartz J.C, Fraser W. Chlamydia psittaci infection in companion birds examined in Florida. Avian Disease. 1982211-213. doi: 10.2307/1590045. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1590045

Ornelas-Eusebio E, Sánchez-Godoy FD, Chávez-Maya F, de la Garza-García JA, Hernández-Castro R, García-Espinosa G. First identification of Chlamydia psittaci in the acute illness and death of endemic and endangered psittacine birds in Mexico. Avian Disease. 2016(Jun);60(2):540-544. doi: 10.1637/11360-122915-Case. PMID: 27309302. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1637/11360-122915-Case