THE PREVALENCE OF CHLAMYDIA-PSITTACI INFECTIONS IN BELGIAN COMMERCIALTURKEY POULTS

The prevalence of Chlamydia psittaci infections in Belgian commercial turkey poults was examined and a follow-up study of one Belgian turkey flock was performed. Sera were examined for the presence of anti-chla mydia antibodies by immunoblotting. Cloacal and conjunctival swab smea rs and lung impression smears were examined for the presence of chlamy dial antigen using the IMAGEN Chlamydia immunofluorescence test. Anti- chlamydia antibodies were found in 90 of 100 sera collected at slaught er from turkeys raised during the summer of 1992. The following winter , 73 of 100 sera reacted positively. On all twenty farms examined duri ng 1992, turkeys were positive for anti-chlamydial antibodies. During 1993, chlamydial antigen was detected in swabs from 20 of 40 slaughter house turkeys tested. Antigen was found more often in the cloaca than in the conjunctiva. Chlamydial antigen was detected in samples from ea ch of the 4 farms examined. The follow-up study on a turkey farm, samp ling the birds at weekly intervals from one week old until 12 weeks of age, revealed that chlamydial antigen and anti-chlamydial antibodies were present during the whole period. During 1994, chlamydial antigen was detected in 45 of 60 lungs from slaughterhouse turkeys from all of 6 farms. During 1995, chlamydial antigen was detected in 41 of 54 lun gs of 6 week old commercial turkey poults. The results of the present study indicate that Chlamydia psittaci infections are highly prevalent amongst Belgian commercial turkey poults with apparently little seaso nal or year-to-year variation and that turkeys can contract the infect ion at an early age.