الفهرس 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Role of Pigeons in transmission of diseaseOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
This study was conducted to detect the incidence of Chlamydia Psittaci in Pigeons in Egypt in order to evaluate zoonotic risks for pigeon breeders or fanciers that come into close contact with these birds.
One hundred pigeons were included in the present study 35 free-ranging pigeons and 65 caged pigeons as well as 30 pigeon breeders were investigated.
Pharyngeal swabs were collected from pigeons of group 1 (35 free-ranging pigeons) and those of group 2 (65 caged pigeons); only one bird was showing respiratory clinical signs.
Also, 100 blood samples were collected from each pigeon for serologic screening of serum samples by ELISA. Thirty pharyngeal swabs were collected from pigeon breeders who were in close contact with the tested pigeons.
By staining of inoculated Vero cells using Giemsa stain, out of 35 free- ranging pigeon, chlamydial inclusions were demonstrated in 6 (17.1%) pigeons. For caged pigeons, 1 (1.53%) out of 65 pigeons, was positive by tissue culture isolation. with Significant difference between both groups as p <0.05.
Chlamydophila psittaci antibodies were investigated in collected serum samples using ELISA. Out of 35 serum samples for free-ranging pigeons examined for the presence on C. psittaci antibodies 8 (22.8%) serum samples gave positive results, while for caged pigeons 3 (4.6%) out of 65 serum samples gave positive results.
Chlamydia psittaci was identified by Nested PCR targeting ompA gene. Out of examined 30 samples for free-ranging pigeons, 10 (33.3%) were amplified for 1101 bp of ompA gene specific for C. psittaci. For caged pigeons 2(5%) out of 40 examined samples were positive.
Comparing of positive results from the three methods (Tissue culture isolation, ELISA and PCR) revealed that, out of 35 free-ranging pigeons, the numbers of positive samples were 10(33.3%), 8 (22.8%) and 6 ( 17.1%) according to N-PCR, ELISA and isolation on Vero cells, respectively.
For caged pigeons out of the investigated 65 pigeons, the numbers of positive samples were 2(5%), 3 (4.6%) and 1(1.53%) according to N-PCR, ELISA and isolation on Vero cells, respectively.
Out of 30 pigeon breeders 4 (13.3%) were positive by Nested PCR targeting OmpA gene of C. psittaci.