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Zoonotic Transmission of Chlamydia spp.: Known for 140 Years, but Still Underestimated

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Zoonoses: Infections Affecting Humans and Animals

Abstract

Historically, the first documented cases of infections by chlamydiae involved humans with contact to psittacine birds. While birds have remained the main source of zoonotic transmission until now, the spectrum of chlamydial zoonoses has broadened in recent decades.

In the present chapter, we summarize current knowledge on etiology, pathology, epidemiology, and genomic markers of zoonotic chlamydial infections. In particular, Chlamydia (C.) psittaci, the agent of avian chlamydiosis, is continuing to affect human individuals in contact with birds. Clinical signs can range from flu-like to those of severe systemic illness. C. abortus, a pathogen causing enzootic abortion in small ruminants, was repeatedly shown to be responsible for cases of human abortion. C. caviae, an agent of ocular disease in guinea pigs, is known to have caused conjunctivitis in guinea pig owners. Also C. felis, which can cause acute and chronic conjunctivitis in cats, has a zoonotic potential and was associated with ocular disease in contact persons.

We outline the main characteristics of the agents’ animal reservoirs, describe transmission routes, and summarize recent reports on outbreaks and individual cases of human infections by Chlamydia spp. The relatively low number of officially notified cases is probably due to underdiagnosis, since C. psittaci and other chlamydiae are usually not part of routine diagnosis in human medicine. As research in the past decades has led to the extension of the genus Chlamydia to 14 species and 4 taxa at Candidatus rank, the scope of zoonotic agents can be expected to rise in the future.

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  1. Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Nicole Borel

  2. Department of RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Jena, Germany

    Konrad Sachse

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  1. Nicole Borel
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  1. Dept. of Infectiology, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim, Bayern, Germany

    Andreas Sing

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Borel, N., Sachse, K. (2023). Zoonotic Transmission of Chlamydia spp.: Known for 140 Years, but Still Underestimated. In: Sing, A. (eds) Zoonoses: Infections Affecting Humans and Animals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85877-3_53-1

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