Molecular Detection and Genotyping of Chlamydia psittaci in Birds in Buenos Aires City, Argentina

is a bacterium that infects several species of birds and mammals. It is the causal agent of avian chlamydiosis and psittacosis in humans and it is globally distributed. is one of the main zoonotic pathogens transmitted by birds. In Argentina, there has been limited research on the prevalence and genetic variability of . The aim of this study was to detect and genotype using molecular techniques in birds living in Buenos Aires City, Argentina, during the period 2012-2015. A descriptive, observational, retrospective and cross-sectional study was carried out. A total of 983 bird samples submitted for diagnosis of avian chlamydiosis were analyzed. The frequency of was 12.54% and 7.89% in Psittaciformes and Columbiformes, respectively. A 348 bp region of the A gene was sequenced in positive samples. Molecular genotyping was performed through a Bayesian phylogenetic analysis. Of the 983 bird samples, 83 were positive for and 44 could be sequenced. The genotypes found were A, B, and E. Despite the high levels of host specificity, we found six psittacids with genotype B and one pigeon with genotype A, reflecting the affiliative interaction between Psittaciformes and Columbiformes. This study represents the first survey reporting the presence of in birds within the largest and most populous city in Argentina.