A. Etiology: Chlamydia psittaci is enzootic in some Guinea pig colonies.
B. Clinical signs: Chlamydia psittaci may cause conjunctivitis in one to three-week-old animals. Infected Guinea pigs may have reddened eyelids, chemosis, a serous exudate, or photophobia.
C. Diagnosis: Diagnosis is made by demonstrating the elementary bodies within epithelial cells from a conjunctival scraping.
D. Treatment: The infection normally resolves spontaneously by the time animals have reached four weeks of age. In severe cases topical broad spectrum antibiotic ophthalmic solutions can be used. Oral or parenteral antibiotics should be avoided due to its enterotoxemic affects.
E. Control: A serologic test (FA) is available.
Public Health Significance: Chlamydiosis is not a species-specific
disease. Although there is no documentation that transmission of
chlamydial infection from Guinea pig to man has occurred, the risk of zoonosis
may be possible.
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