Epizootological features and clinical manifestation of cat chlamydiosis in Poltava

The article presents epizootological data and clinical signs of feline chlamydia in Poltava. According to the results of studies in 2018–2020, a wide spread of chlamydia infection among cats in the city of Poltava was established. The largest number of the studied cats, were pedigree or crossbred. There was no explicit clear seasonality, but a greater number of cases of respiratory diseases were recorded in the autumn-winter period of the year. In the structure of infectious diseases during the research period, chlamydia mono-infection was registered in 68 % of cats, association of chlamydia with infectious rhinotracheitis in 18.5 %, kalitsivirus infection in 8.6 %, with panleukopenia in 4.9 %. The greatest number of the registered cats had acute and subacute course of chlamydia. In the acute course, there was an increase in temperature, oppression and refusal to eat. In the majority of cases of acute, subacute and associated chlamydia, the structures of the eye were damaged. Conjunctivitis, keratitis, chemosis, uveitis, third eyelid inflammation, changes in the shape of the pupil developed. A Sphynx breed cat showed signs of acute chlamydial arthritis with pronounced inflammatory edema. The latent course was accompanied by abortions, which were mainly registered in young cats. Animals older than four years more often showed stillborn and weak kittens. The main clinical signs of chlamydia in kittens born from sick cats were eye lesions: swelling of the conjunctiva, its reddening and secretion of a significant amount of brown purulent exudate with the viscosity of the catarrh and as a consequence of eyelid adhesion and complications as ankyloblepharon or symblepharon. Submandibular and other lymph nodes in the head area were significantly enlarged. Often pus dried up near the mouth or nostrils. Pus crusts accumulated in the nasal cavity and prevented breathing. Gastrointestinal tract disorders were observed in some cases. Part of the affected litter died within the first three days after birth. Neonatal chlamydia was more often manifested by conjunctivitis, keratitis, panophthalmitis and growth retardation. On the second or third day after birth, the kittens showed weakness and lack of appetite. In two cases of neonatal chlamydia, bronchopneumonia developed. When chlamydia and infectious rhinotracheitis were associated, the structures of the eye were affected in all cases. These lesions could be different and depended on the stage of the infectious process.