A cross sectional study on Dutch layer farms to investigate the prevalence and potential risk factors for different Chlamydia species.

In poultry several Chlamydia species have been detected, but Chlamydia psittaci and Chlamydia gallinacea appear to be most prevalent and important. Chlamydia psittaci is a well-known zoonosis and is considered to be a pathogen of poultry. Chlamydia gallinacea has been described more recently.

Genome Plasticity and Polymorphisms in Critical Genes Correlate with Increased Virulence of Dutch Outbreak-Related Strains.

is an obligate intracellular bacterium and the etiological agent of Q fever. During 2007-2010 the largest Q fever outbreak ever reported occurred in The Netherlands. It is anticipated that strains from this outbreak demonstrated an increased zoonotic potential as more than 40,000 individuals were assumed to be infected.