Challenges in using serological methods to explore historical transmission risk of Chlamydia psittaci in a workforce with high exposure to equine chlamydiosis

Belinda Jones; Kathryn Taylor; Robyn M. Lucas; Tony Merritt; Catherine Chicken; Jane Heller; Joan Carrick; Rodney Givney; David N. Durrheim

doi:10.33321/cdi.2019.43.65

Challenges in using serological methods to explore historical transmission risk of Chlamydia psittaci in a workforce with high exposure to equine chlamydiosis

Belinda Jones, Kathryn Taylor, Robyn M. Lucas, Tony Merritt, Catherine Chicken, Jane Heller, Joan Carrick, Rodney Givney, David N. Durrheim

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Introduction: This report describes the challenges encountered in using serological methods to study the historical transmission risk of C. psittaci from horses to humans. Methods: In 2017, serology and risk factor questionnaire data from a group of individuals, whose occupations involved close contact with horses, were collected to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies to C. psittaci and identify risk factors associated with previous exposure. Results: 147 participants were enrolled in the study, provided blood samples, and completed a questionnaire. On ELISA testing, antibodies to the Chlamydia genus were detected in samples from 17 participants but further specific species-specific MIF testing did not detect C. psittaci-specific antibodies in any of these samples. Conclusion: No serological evidence of past C. psittaci transmission from horses to humans was found in this study cohort. There are major challenges in using serological methods to determine the prevalence of C. psittaci exposure.

Original language	English
Journal	Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)
Volume	43
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2019.43.65
Publication status	Published - 16 Dec 2019

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Jones, B., Taylor, K., Lucas, R. M., Merritt, T., Chicken, C., Heller, J., Carrick, J., Givney, R., & Durrheim, D. N. (2019). Challenges in using serological methods to explore historical transmission risk of Chlamydia psittaci in a workforce with high exposure to equine chlamydiosis. Communicable diseases intelligence (2018), 43. https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2019.43.65

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title = "Challenges in using serological methods to explore historical transmission risk of Chlamydia psittaci in a workforce with high exposure to equine chlamydiosis",

abstract = "Introduction: This report describes the challenges encountered in using serological methods to study the historical transmission risk of C. psittaci from horses to humans. Methods: In 2017, serology and risk factor questionnaire data from a group of individuals, whose occupations involved close contact with horses, were collected to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies to C. psittaci and identify risk factors associated with previous exposure. Results: 147 participants were enrolled in the study, provided blood samples, and completed a questionnaire. On ELISA testing, antibodies to the Chlamydia genus were detected in samples from 17 participants but further specific species-specific MIF testing did not detect C. psittaci-specific antibodies in any of these samples. Conclusion: No serological evidence of past C. psittaci transmission from horses to humans was found in this study cohort. There are major challenges in using serological methods to determine the prevalence of C. psittaci exposure.",

keywords = "Psittacosis, equine, serology, zoonotic",

author = "Belinda Jones and Kathryn Taylor and Lucas, {Robyn M.} and Tony Merritt and Catherine Chicken and Jane Heller and Joan Carrick and Rodney Givney and Durrheim, {David N.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Commonwealth of Australia CC BY-NC-ND.",

year = "2019",

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doi = "10.33321/cdi.2019.43.65",

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AU - Jones, Belinda

AU - Taylor, Kathryn

AU - Lucas, Robyn M.

AU - Merritt, Tony

AU - Chicken, Catherine

AU - Heller, Jane

AU - Carrick, Joan

AU - Givney, Rodney

AU - Durrheim, David N.

PY - 2019/12/16

Y1 - 2019/12/16

N2 - Introduction: This report describes the challenges encountered in using serological methods to study the historical transmission risk of C. psittaci from horses to humans. Methods: In 2017, serology and risk factor questionnaire data from a group of individuals, whose occupations involved close contact with horses, were collected to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies to C. psittaci and identify risk factors associated with previous exposure. Results: 147 participants were enrolled in the study, provided blood samples, and completed a questionnaire. On ELISA testing, antibodies to the Chlamydia genus were detected in samples from 17 participants but further specific species-specific MIF testing did not detect C. psittaci-specific antibodies in any of these samples. Conclusion: No serological evidence of past C. psittaci transmission from horses to humans was found in this study cohort. There are major challenges in using serological methods to determine the prevalence of C. psittaci exposure.

AB - Introduction: This report describes the challenges encountered in using serological methods to study the historical transmission risk of C. psittaci from horses to humans. Methods: In 2017, serology and risk factor questionnaire data from a group of individuals, whose occupations involved close contact with horses, were collected to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies to C. psittaci and identify risk factors associated with previous exposure. Results: 147 participants were enrolled in the study, provided blood samples, and completed a questionnaire. On ELISA testing, antibodies to the Chlamydia genus were detected in samples from 17 participants but further specific species-specific MIF testing did not detect C. psittaci-specific antibodies in any of these samples. Conclusion: No serological evidence of past C. psittaci transmission from horses to humans was found in this study cohort. There are major challenges in using serological methods to determine the prevalence of C. psittaci exposure.

KW - Psittacosis

KW - equine

KW - serology

KW - zoonotic

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DO - 10.33321/cdi.2019.43.65

M3 - Article

SN - 2209-6051

VL - 43

JO - Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)

JF - Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)

ER -

Challenges in using serological methods to explore historical transmission risk of Chlamydia psittaci in a workforce with high exposure to equine chlamydiosis

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