Infective endocarditis with glomerulonephritis associated with cat chlamydia (C. psittaci) infection.

Abstract

SUMMARY A patient with glomerulonephritis and endocarditis is described who had evidence of feline Chlamydia psittaci infection. Treatment with antichlamydial drugs resulted in resolution ofthe glomerulonephritis and the endocarditis. It is recommended that screening for chlamydia is included in the investigation of patients with suspected or obscure endocarditis.Infective endocarditis is often caused by an unusual organism. The management of such cases is much more effective if the identity of the organism has been established (Friedberg, 1964;Hampton and Harrison, 1967).We describe a patient with infective endocarditis and secondary glomerulonephritis in whom there was strong evidence of infection with the feline keratoconjunctivitis agent (Chlamydia psittaci

Seroepidemiological Investigation of Feline Chlamydiosis in Cats and Humans in Japan

“…Griffiths et al (10) reported a case of general malaise, cough, and abnormal liver function due to the feline serovar of C. psittaci in a woman, and Regan et al (19) reported a case of endocarditis with associated glomerulonephritis in a man. Both cases reported close contact with cats.…”

“…The prevalences in other countries have been variously reported to be 5.3 to 69% (5,11,30). Circumstantial evidence indicated that human beings may be infected with feline C. psittaci and develop conjunctivitis (22) and serious systemic infection (19).…”

An Etiological Investigation of Domestic Cats with Conjunctivitis and Upper Respiratory Tract Disease in Japan.

“…Chlamydophila felis (C. felis), known as feline Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) previously, was first isolated from feline pneumonia [1], and now it is considered as causing a conjunctival infection in cats [13]. Transmission of C. felis to human was reported with conjunctivitis and serious systemic infection in an immunocompromised person [16,17]. On the basis of our previous study, feline chlamydial infection was thought to be transmitted by close contact with infected cats and possibly from infected birds [20].…”

Psittacosis/avian chlamydiosis

“…34 One recent study in Japan found higher chlamydial microimmunofluorescence antibody concentrations in stray cats (60.2%) than in pet cats (20.5%), with some cats having evidence of infection with avian or feline strains and others with antibodies to both strains. 35 Of sera from 16 small animal veterinarians and 35 members of the general population reacting with chlamydial antigens in the same study, 15 (29%) reacted only to the feline strain, 17 (33%) reacted only to the avian strain, and 19 (37%) reacted to both strains.…”