First report of Chlamydophila seroprevalence in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Lanzhou, Northwest China

Chlamydophila is an obligate intracellular bacterium, found in a wide range of birds, which is frequently transmitted from infected birds to humans. In the present study, a total of 313 serum samples from free-living, clinically healthy house sparrows were examined using an indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA). Antibodies against Chlamydophila were found in 33 (10.54%) of 313 serum samples (IHA titer ≥ 1:16). The result indicated that clinical healthy status was not a reliable “standard” for the diagnosis of Chlamydophila infection and there was a potential risk for human infection with Chlamydophila in this region. The present study is the first seroprevalence survey of sparrows infected by Chlamydophila in China.   Key words: Chlamydophila, Seroprevalence, house sparrows, Lanzhou, northwest China, indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA).