To investigate to what extent wild passerine birds are carriers
of
Chlamydia psittaci, 312 faecal
samples from 18 bird species were collected. Using the PCR technique and
subsequent DNA
sequencing, C. psittaci DNA was demonstrated in faecal samples
from 9
(2·9%) birds of 6
different species. Sera from 65 bird-ringers, highly exposed to wild birds,
were tested by
microimmunofluorescence assay for the occurrence of IgG and
IgM antibodies to C. psittaci.
No such antibodies were found. This results indicate that a significant
proportion of wild
passerine birds are carriers of C. psittaci, but rarely infectious
to humans.