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Bonwitt J, Riethman M, Glashower D, Oltean HN, Wohrle R, Joseph B, McHale B, Ritchie B. Application of environmental sampling to investigate a case of avian chlamydiosis in a pet store and breeding facility leading to mass bird exposures. Zoonoses Public Health 2023; 70:572-577. [PMID: 37157946 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Chlamydia psittaci is a bacterium that causes chlamydiosis in birds and can cause zoonotic psittacosis in people. In November 2017, we received notification of a suspected case of avian chlamydiosis in a captive cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) that was sold by an online pet bird retail and breeding facility in Washington State. We describe the investigation with emphasis on how environmental sampling was used to guide veterinary and public health interventions. Bird samples were collected either from pooled droppings, pooled plumage or individual nasal and choanal swabs. Environmental samples were obtained by swabbing cleaning mops, tables and cage structures. All samples were tested by polymerase chain reaction and positive samples underwent genotyping. Approximately 1000 birds representing four taxonomic orders were kept within an open-space warehouse. Eight of 14 environmental samples and one of two pooled faecal samples were positive for Chlamydia spp. The contaminating strain of Chlamydia spp. was identified as genotype A. The facility was closed for environmental disinfection, and all psittacines were treated with oral doxycycline for 45 days. Ten of 10 environmental and two of two pooled faecal samples were negative for C. psittaci 11 months after the completion of environmental disinfection and antimicrobial treatment. This investigation highlights the importance of preventing and mitigating pathogen incursion in an online pet retail and breeding facility. Environmental sampling is valuable to guide animal and public health interventions for control of C. psittaci, particularly when large numbers of birds are exposed to the pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse Bonwitt
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Division of Scientific Education and Professional Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Office of Communicable Disease Epidemiology, Washington State Department of Health, Shoreline, Washington, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | | | | | - Hanna N Oltean
- Office of Communicable Disease Epidemiology, Washington State Department of Health, Shoreline, Washington, USA
| | - Ron Wohrle
- Office of Environmental Public Health Sciences, Washington State Department of Health, Olympia, Washington, USA
| | - Brian Joseph
- Washington State Department of Agriculture, Olympia, Washington, USA
- Lifestock Int'l, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Brittany McHale
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Branson Ritchie
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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Carlson A, Riethman M, Gastañaduy P, Lee A, Leung J, Holshue M, DeBolt C, Melnick A. Notes from the field:
Community outbreak of measles - Clark County, Washington, 2018-2019. Am J Transplant 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ajt.15479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paul Gastañaduy
- Division of Viral Diseases; National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; CDC; Atlanta Georgia
| | - Adria Lee
- Division of Viral Diseases; National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; CDC; Atlanta Georgia
| | - Jessica Leung
- Division of Viral Diseases; National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; CDC; Atlanta Georgia
| | | | - Chas DeBolt
- Office of Communicable Disease Epidemiology; Washington State Department of Health; Spokane Washington
| | - Alan Melnick
- Clark County Public Health; Vancouver Washington
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Carlson A, Riethman M, Gastañaduy P, Lee A, Leung J, Holshue M, DeBolt C, Melnick A. Notes from the Field: Community Outbreak of Measles - Clark County, Washington, 2018-2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019; 68:446-447. [PMID: 31095534 PMCID: PMC6522079 DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6819a5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Y Liang
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 4523 Clayton Avenue, Campus Box 8072, St Louis, MO 63110, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, 4523 Clayton Avenue, Campus Box 8051, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Madison Riethman
- Communicable Disease, Clark County Public Health, Center for Community Health, 1601 East Fourth Plain Boulevard, Building 17, PO Box 9825, Vancouver, WA 98666, USA
| | - Josephine Fox
- Infection Prevention, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Mailstop 90-75-593, 4590 Children's Place, St Louis, MO 63108, USA
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