Molecular Detection of <em>Chlamydia Psittaci </em>in Feral Pigeons in The Sulaymaniyah Region, Iraq

Arif, Eman Dhahir; Ameen, Nzar Ali; Ali, Dlovan Jalal; Mohammed, Shawin Farhad; Ibrahim, Zhila Ghalb; Rahim, Ala Aziz

doi:10.23975/bjvr.2026.169446.1288

	Molecular Detection of Chlamydia Psittaci in Feral Pigeons in The Sulaymaniyah Region, Iraq
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research
Volume 25, Issue 2, June 2026, Pages 43-54 PDF (639.49 K)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.23975/bjvr.2026.169446.1288
Authors
Eman Dhahir Arif^* ¹; Nzar Ali Ameen²; Dlovan Jalal Ali³; Shawin Farhad Mohammed³; Zhila Ghalb Ibrahim²; Ala Aziz Rahim²
¹Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
²Department of Histopathology and Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq.
³Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq.
Abstract
Feral pigeons are the main non-domestic host of zoonotic Chlamydia psittaci, which causes avian chlamydiosis. Although C. psittaci is important, few studies are available in the literature concerning this pathogen as a public health problem in Iraq. It was the objective of this work to use PCR amplification of the C. psittaci species-specific gene and detection in organs, cloacal, and pharyngeal swabs from clinically healthy feral pigeons collected from the Sulaymaniyah area. During the period between July and December 2025, one hundred feral pigeons of both sexes, different age groups from various regions in Sulaymaniyah Governorate were examined for C. psittaci. PCR amplification was performed on DNA extracted from samples, targeting the Chlamydia-specific ompA gene, and results were blasted to confirm positivity. Of 200 tested samples, ten (5%) were real-time PCR positive for C. psittaci; four were from Swabs of the pharynx (2%) then five from swabs of cloaca (2.5%). One (0.5%) of the twenty pooled liver and lung samples was also positive for C. psittaci. Phylogeny of the ompA gene structures showed That's all feral pigeon The isolates were of genotype B; however, it is interesting that a C. psittaci strain from feral pigeons in Argentina in 2024 shared 100% sequence homology with Sulaymaniyah isolates (Sul/1/2025 and Sul/2/2025). This work has provided evidence that the feral pigeon forms a natural reservoir for C. psittaci with potential risks to human health.
Keywords
Chlamydia psittaci; Feral pigeon; PCR; Iraq; ompA gene
Supplementary Files ايمان 43-54.pdf
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Molecular Detection of Chlamydia Psittaci in Feral Pigeons in The Sulaymaniyah Region, Iraq