What is
Feline
Chlamydophila?
Pneumonitis
was a term used to describe upper respiratory infections &
it was originally believed that the culprit was Chlamydia
psittaci. This was due to isolation of the bacterium from cats
with "pneumonitis". Pneumonitis means
"inflammation of the lungs". It was later realised
that Chlamydophilia felis is not the main cause of respiratory
disease of cats, but feline viral rhinotrachetis & feline
calicivirus are the cause of the majority of feline
respiratory diseases.
Chlamydophila
felis (formerly known as Chlamydia psittici)
is a common disease caused by an intracellular bacterium (a bacterium
which lives inside the host's cells). Chlamydia psittaci,
has been reclassified by veterinary
microbiologists. The family Chlamydiae is now divided into two
genera, Chlamydia and Chlamydophila. The genus Chlamydophila
contains four species, including Chlamydophila felis, a
causative agent for conjunctivitis in cats.
Chlamydophila
felis doesn't survive well in the environment & is easily
killed by routine disinfection.
What are the symptoms of
Feline
Chlamydophila?
The
predominant clinical sign of C. Felis is
conjunctivitis; an abnormal eye discharge due to inflammation
of the conjunctiva, the membrane lining the inside of the
eyelid & the the white part of the eye itself, (known as
the sclera). The eyes initially develop a watery discharge,
as the infection progresses, the conjunctiva becomes reddened
& swollen & the discharge becomes thicker. It may
start out with discharge from one eye, but usually spreads to
both eyes. Symptoms usually appear around 5 days
after exposure.
Mild upper respiratory
symptoms such as low grade fever, nasal discharge &
sneezing may also be present.
It is
possible for a cat to appear outwardly healthy but be shedding
the bacteria which can be passed onto other cats via eye
discharge.
What does
Feline
Chlamydophila do?
Chlamydophila
felis attach themselves to the mucosal cells of the
conjunctiva, gastrointestinal & genital tracts. The eyes
become red, inflamed & develop a discharge.
In young
kittens chlamydiosis may cause pneumonia.
How do
cats become infected?
-
Direct:
Contact with an infected cat, such as nasal & ocular
discharges. Kittens may become infected during the
birth process.
-
Indirect:
Unlikely as Chlamydophila felis
doesn't survive well in the environment, contact
with food bowls, bedding, litter trays, pet owner's hands
etc. It is always advisable to exercise caution when
dealing with infected cats & practice routine hand
washing & disinfecting in order to minimise the risks
of infecting other cats.
Which cats
are at risk?
Chlamydiosis
can affect any cats but it is more often seen in kittens
between 5 & 9 months of age & cats in overcrowded or
stressful environments such as animal shelters.
How is
Feline
Chlamydophila
diagnosed?
Diagnosis may
be tentatively made based on clinical symptoms. Your
veterinarian will take an eye swab from an infected cat which
will be sent to a laboratory for testing. There are several
tests which can be performed, including PCR (polymerase chain
reaction), Immunofluorescent assay (IFA) or bacterial
culture.
How is it
treated?
Antibiotic
eye ointment (usually tetracycline) will be prescribed.
There is an
interesting article on the use of another antibiotic known as
Zithromax which can be found here...
Prevention of
Feline
Chlamydophila:
Vaccination.
There is a vaccination available for Chlamydophila
felis. It
can reduce the severity of symptoms but doesn't prevent
infection in the first place. There are side effects
associated with a small percentage of cats including lethargy,
lameness, depression, anorexia, fever & therefore it is
only recommended for high risk situations. The use of this
vaccine and as such the American Association of Feline
Practitioners don't recommend routine use of this vaccination.
For full information on the AAPT recommendations, please visit
their site here...
Routine
disinfection. Chlamydophila felis is easily killed in the
environment & proper hygiene control is recommended.
Resources:
DVM
Please note:
The medical
articles on this site have not been written by a
veterinarian & should not be considered a replacement for a
veterinarian visit. The articles are provided for
informative purposes only.
Always seek
immediate veterinary advice for any problems (health or
behavioral) in your pets.
While great
care has been made in the creation of these articles, we
cannot guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these pages.
If in any doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical
advice.
