Chlamydia buteonis, a new Chlamydia species isolated from a red-shouldered hawk

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Microbiology
• Bacterial Taxonomy
• Zoonotic Diseases

Background:

• Chlamydiaceae are significant obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens affecting both humans and animals.
• Previous research indicated a Chlamydiaceae intermediary capable of infecting hawks, bridging C. psittaci and C. abortus.
• Avian Chlamydia infections pose risks to wildlife rehabilitation centers and potentially public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize a novel Chlamydia isolate from a diseased red-shouldered hawk.
• To determine the phylogenetic relationship of the isolate to known Chlamydia species.
• To propose the establishment of a new Chlamydia species based on comprehensive analysis.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of Chlamydia from cloacal and conjunctival swabs of a red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus).
• In vitro culture and subsequent molecular identification using QuickVue Chlamydia test.
• Exclusion of C. psittaci and C. abortus by specific qPCR assays.
• Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA, 23S rRNA, whole genome sequencing, Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST), Average Nucleotide Identity (ANIb), and TETRA values.

Main Results:

• A Chlamydia isolate, designated RSHA, was obtained from a red-shouldered hawk exhibiting conjunctivitis.
• RSHA tested negative for C. psittaci and C. abortus via qPCR.
• Genomic and phylogenetic analyses positioned RSHA as phylogenetically intermediate between C. psittaci and C. abortus, with these species as its closest relatives.

Conclusions:

• The data strongly support the designation of a new Chlamydia species.
• The proposed new species is named Chlamydia buteonis, with RSHA^T as the type strain.
• This finding expands our understanding of Chlamydia diversity and host-pathogen interactions in avian species.