Chlamydiosis is caused by Chlamydophila psittaci and is one of the most important avian zoonosis. A retrospective study in psittacines was performed from 1995 to 2012 with immunohistochemistry (IHC) anti-Chlamydia. Hundred eleven cases were evaluated and twelve birds died due to chlamydiosis. The birds were obtained from illegal commerce traffic or captive conditions (zoos, breeding birds, wildlife rehabilitation center and pets). Grossly, there were hepatomegaly (4/12) with yellowish-white areas (3/12), splenomegaly (2/12), splenic rupture (1/12), fibrin deposition in pericardial sac (1/12), fibrinous polyserositis (1/12), and in three cases lesion was not found. Histopathological evaluation revealed mononuclear necrotizing hepatitis (7/12), mononuclear hepatitis (3/12), biliary duct hyperplasia (8/12), histiocytic necrotizing splenitis (9/12), hemosiderosis in liver (9/12) and spleen (9/12), mononuclear aerosaculitis (4/12), fibrin heterophilic pericarditis (2/12), lymphoid necrosis (1/12) and depletion of bursa Fabricius (1/12), fibrinous pneumonia (1/12), mononuclear nephritis (1/12), and renal granulomas (1/12). Basophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions (elementary bodies) were observed in liver (2/12), spleen and kidney (1/12). Positive immunostaining for Chlamydia could be detected in liver (11/12), spleen (7/9), lung (3/9), kidney (2/8), intestines (2/3), air sacs (1/4) and bursa of Fabricius (1/2). It was concluded that IHC can be used as postmortem definitive diagnosis of chlamydiosis in psittacines.
Zoonosis; bird; pathology; immunohistochemistry; ornithosis; Chlamydophila psittaci
