Ornithosis of municipal pigeons Columba livia f. Domestica gone wild in Kosice

Authors present results of investigations of municipal populations of pigeo ns Columba livia f. domestica gone wild, living in Kosice, by complement-bi nding reaction microtechnique method using genero-specific antigen Chlamydi a psittaci (Bioveta, Ivanovice na Hane, Czech Republic). Pigeons were trapp ed in historic part of the city of Kosice in the lofts of ancient buildings with damaged roofs and unclosed dormers in January and April 1997. Investi gations of 292 pigeon sera showed 43.1% of positive animals in titre 1 : 16 and higher. From titre 1 : 8 46.2% sera were positive. High frequency of a ntibodies and high levels to the titre 1 : 2 048 (Tab. I) were found. Regar ding health risk of disease transmitted to humans and protection of buildin gs and monuments in the case of outbreak of pigeons, it is necessary to acc ept more pressing forms of their regulation. The results presented here dem onstrate that municipal populations of pigeons Columba livia f. domestica g one wild living in Kosice are much infected by Chlamydia psittaci.