New evidence for domesticated animals as reservoirs of Chlamydia-associated community acquired pneumonia

Abstract Recent reports highlight a growing awareness of the potential for Chlamydia considered to be traditionally veterinary pathogens to cause cases of community-acquired pneumonia in humans. Cases of Chlamydia caviae, a guinea pig pathogen, were detected in individuals with serious pneumonia requiring hospitalisation. Source tracking linked these infections to pet guinea pigs. Studies of horses have found that the avian and zoonotic pathogen, Chlamydia psittaci, may be more common in these mammalian hosts, further highlighting the risk of exposure to chlamydial causes of CAP. The realisation that CAP can be caused by a broader range of chlamydial agents highlights the need for better collaboration between primary care physicians, public health officials and veterinarians. In a Dutch model for this approach, surveillance of veterinary chlamydiae as a cause of CAP has been improved through harmonisation of detection and molecular typing methods to facilitate an easier exchange of detection and molecular typing data to support source tracking efforts by public health and veterinary authorities.