2 NEW SEROVARS OF CHLAMYDIA-PSITTACI FROM NORTH-AMERICAN BIRDS

Five Chlamydia psittaci isolates (1 turkey, 1 psittacine, 1 human, and 2 pigeon isolates) failed to react with serovar-specific monoclonal a ntibodies to known avian and mammalian C. psittaci serovars and were p resumed to represent 1 or more new serovars. The isolates were charact erized using restriction endonuclease analysis of the whole genome, po lymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism of th e major outer membrane protein genome, monoclonal antibody comparisons , and growth in tissue culture. Monoclonal antibodies were produced to the human isolate (MP) and to the psittacine isolate (VS225). The mon oclonal antibody results show that the isolates represent 2 new avian serovars (serovars E and F). The restriction fragment length polymorph ism analysis of the major outer membrane protein genome demonstrated t hat the isolates are distinct. The whole genome restriction endonuclea se analysis data and the growth patterns in tissue culture indicate th at the new serovars are similar to avian serovars recognized previousl y. A subspecies monoclonal antibody that reacted with serovars A and B also reacted with serovar E, indicating that these serovars are close ly related. The results show that these isolates represent 2 new avian serovars, making them the fifth and sixth avian serovars identified i n North American birds.