IMMUNOHISTOLOGICAL DETERMINATION OF CHLAMYDIA-PSITTACI CHLAMYDIA-PECORUM AND C-TRACHOMATIS IN THE PIGLET GUT/

The jejunum, ileum, caecum and colon of 200 piglets were investigated immunohistochemically for the presence of Chlamydia psittaci and C. tr achomatis using a vitelline IgY. Positive samples were later labelled using a commercial C. trachomatis polyclonal antiserum. Chlamydia were present in 33 (16.4 %) of the animals, and 30 out of 33 were labelled by C. trachomatis polyclonal antiserum. Inclusions occurred predomina ntly (67 %) in the large intestine. The serological results (CFT, ELIS A) did not correlate well with immunohistochemical labelling in the gu t. The incidence of Chlamydia rose from 6.9 % in animals up to 4 weeks , to 41.8 % in those over 4 weeks of age. A correlation between chlamy dia and enteric disease was not obvious. Besides chlamydia, most of th e diseased animals harboured other additional agents. In conclusion, i ntestinal chlamydiae in piglets, predominantly C. trachomatis, exist i n Switzerland, although their pathogenic potential seems to be low.