Chlamydial infection of the gastric mucosa in twelve cats

Twelve cats, all from research or commercial breeding colonies, had unidentified, intracellular organisms in the gastric mucosa. Histochemical staining and ultrastructural features provided the basis for identification of the organism as a Chlamydia sp. Ultrastructural observations were restricted to one of the 12 infected cats. There was no consistent association of gastric chlamydial infection and clinical disease. The infection was present in apparently healthy cats as well as those with a variety of clinical signs and lesions, especially weight loss of undetermined origin. None of the cats with gastric chlamydial infection had lesions compatible with feline pneumonitis. The significance of gastric chlamydial infection has yet to be established.