EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED FELINE CHLAMYDIAL INFECTION (FELINE PNEUMONITIS)

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (4) , 541-547
Abstract
Cats exposed to aerosols of feline Chlamydia psittaci developed a disease characterized principally by conjunctivitis. Signs of conjunctivitis appeared between postexposure days (PED) 5-10, were often unilateral initially, and persisted for 22-45 days. Fever followed the onset of conjunctivitis (PED 11 to 15) and persisted for 3-8 days. Signs of mild rhinitis (occasional sneezing and mild serous nasal discharge) occurred in some cats between PED 8 and 37. Neither signs of lower respiratory tract disease nor significant pulmonary lesions were produced by the feline pneumonitis agent. Small foci of pneumonia were detected microscopically in 3 of 6 cats examined from PED 7 and 14. Chlamydiae were identified from PED 7-14 in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells in stained conjunvtival smears. Conjunctivitis persisted for at least 18 days after chlamydiae no longer were detectable in conjunctival smears. Low levels of chlamydial infectivity, still were present in conjunctiva and lung on PED 45.

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