The limitations of commercial serological assays for detection of chlamydial infections in Australian livestock
2019
Chlamydia pecorum
and
Chlamydia abortus
are related ruminant pathogens endemic to different global regions. Potential co-infections combined with the lack of species-specific serological assays challenge accurate diagnosis. Serological screening revealed low
C. abortus
seropositivity with the peptide-based ELISA (1/84; 1.2%) in Australian sheep yet moderate seropositivity in a Swiss flock with history of
C. abortus
-associated abortions (17/63; 26.9%). By whole cell antigen complement fixation tests (CFT) and ELISA, chlamydial seropositivity was significantly higher in all groups, suggesting cross-reactivity between these two chlamydial species and non-specificity of the tests. However, only
C. pecorum
DNA could be detected by qPCR in
Chlamydia
seropositive Australian animals screened, suggesting chlamydial seropositivity was due to cross-reactivity with endemic C. pecorum infections. These results suggest ascribing
Chlamydia
seropositivity to chlamydial species in livestock using whole-cell antigen CFT or ELISA should be treated with caution; and that peptide-based ELISA and qPCR provide greater chlamydial species-specificity.
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