Chlamydia in cats: symptoms, treatment, is there a danger of infecting humans

What will you learn from the article?

1. What is feline chlamydia What do chlamydia do
2. Latent form of chlamydia
3. Acute and chronic forms of the disease
4. Risk group
5. Methods of infection with chlamydia
6. Incubation period
7. How dangerous is chlamydia for cats and kittens?

Chlamydia in cats is a common, highly contagious infectious disease. The pathology has a second name - feline chlamydial conjunctivitis. Infected animals show external signs of respiratory diseases. The infection affects the eyes, upper respiratory tract (nose, throat), and can spread to the lungs, gastrointestinal tract and reproductive system.

How to find out if a cat is infected with this infection? How dangerous is chlamydia for cats? What diagnostic methods, treatment methods and preventive measures exist? Can chlamydia be transmitted from cats to humans? Find answers to all these questions in our article.

What is feline chlamydia

Feline chlamydia is caused by the intracellular parasite Chlamydophila felis. These parasites can live on the mucous membranes of the respiratory, digestive systems, and genitals of the pet. Chlamydia is difficult to fight because it is a cross between bacteria and viruses.

What does chlamydia do?

Most often, in adult cats, chlamydia causes inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes, and less often - the nose and mouth. Owners may not immediately understand that their pet has a dangerous contagious disease. The external signs of chlamydia are similar to a cold and eye inflammation (conjunctivitis).

Chlamydia enters the cat's body and penetrates the cells of the animal's mucous membranes. Once inside the cell, the parasites reproduce in a binary manner and are spread through the bloodstream throughout the cat’s body. Chlamydia does not have its own energy metabolism, so it cannot exist outside the cells of “its host” for a long time.

Latent form of chlamydia

In cats with strong immunity, chlamydia can occur in a latent (hidden) form for a long time. Parasites live in the pet's body, but do not reproduce. Such animals show practically no signs of infectious infection. They are active, playful, with a good appetite. The latent form is dangerous due to its difficult diagnosis and the fact that all this time the animal is contagious and can infect other pets.

Acute and chronic forms of the disease

The acute form of the disease is characterized by a short-term (1-2 days) increase in the animal’s body temperature. A little later, the cat develops respiratory signs: redness of the conjunctiva, discharge from the eyes, cough and runny nose.

If chlamydia is accompanied by a bacterial infection, the eyes begin to fester and crusts form on them. Usually the disease progresses gradually: first, discharge appears from one eye, after 2-3 weeks - from the second. Without treatment, the acute form develops into a chronic form.

The chronic form of chlamydia is characterized by frequent recurrence of cough and runny nose, prolonged tearfulness. To identify a dangerous contagious disease in time, do not treat a cold yourself, take your cat to the veterinarian.

Risk group

At risk for this disease:

1. Kittens aged 5 – 12 weeks.
2. Offspring from cats infected with chlamydia.
3. Animals kept in shelters.
4. Cats and kittens in nurseries.
5. Animals that are outdoors.
6. Cats that have been in contact with stray animals.
7. Cats that eat rodents. Mice and rats can carry chlamydia.
8. Animals with weakened immune systems.

Methods of infection with chlamydia

Domestic cats can become infected with chlamydia in several ways:

1. Contact:

• kittens from a sick mother;
• domestic cats from stray animals;
• while hunting birds and rodents;
• contact with feces and urine of a sick animal;
• through grooming items (collars, leashes, bedding, bowls);
• through the shoes, clothing and hands of a person who has had contact with an infected cat.

1. Airborne:

• cats in shelters and nurseries;
• at a veterinarian's appointment;
• while walking and traveling by public transport;
• from other infected pets.

1. Nutritional:

• through food.

1. Sexual:

• during mating.

In the external environment, chlamydia lives up to one and a half days.

Destroy microscopic parasites:

• boiling water (1 minute);
• hydrogen peroxide;
• phenol;
• chloramine;
• sodium hydrochloride;
• ethanol (70%);
• ultraviolet (solar) radiation.

Incubation period

The latent (incubation period) of chlamydia ranges from 3 to 10 days. This is the insidiousness of the disease - an infected cat is dangerous to others even before the first clinical symptoms of the disease appear.

How dangerous is chlamydia for cats and kittens?

The disease is dangerous because it has many serious complications. The type of complication depends on which organs of the cat are infected with chlamydia.

1. Organs of vision (eyes) – cataracts, inflammation of the cornea; keratoconjunctivitis, blindness in one or both eyes.
2. Genital organs – infertility in cats, stillborn kittens, non-viable offspring, premature birth and abortion.
3. Respiratory organs – chronic pneumonia, pulmonary edema, death.
4. Gastrointestinal organs – dysbacteriosis.

Symptoms of chlamydia in cats

In the initial stages, the disease is asymptomatic. The first signs appear 1-2 weeks after infection. The main symptoms of feline chlamydia are as follows:

In case of damage to the organs of vision:

• redness and swelling of the mucous membranes of the eyes (one eye or both may be affected);
• the appearance of the so-called “third eyelid” on the eye, which is normal; when the cat’s eyes are open, it is not visible;
• discharge from the eyes - at first watery, and then greenish or yellow;
• photophobia;
• The cat's eyes are constantly closed.

In case of respiratory tract damage:

• discharge of mucus from the nose;
• sneezing;
• cough;
• dyspnea;
• hoarse breathing;
• increased body temperature;
• lethargy, apathy and loss of appetite - these symptoms most often appear in kittens.

In case of damage to the genital organs:

• thick discharge from the vulva;
• frequent urination;
• birth of a stillborn offspring.

Important!

The gastrointestinal form of the disease is completely asymptomatic. A cat without clinical signs is contagious and sheds chlamydia into the environment through urine and feces.

Diagnosis of chlamydia in cats

Pathology is difficult to diagnose. The main reason for this is that the clinical picture of chlamydia is similar to many other infectious and non-infectious diseases. In addition, cats with a weakened immune system due to chlamydia can have several infections at the same time.

For accurate diagnosis, the following studies are carried out:

• a smear is taken from the conjunctiva, which is sent for bacteriological culture to the laboratory to determine the causative agent of the disease;
• a blood test to determine the absence or presence of antibodies to Chlamydophila felis;
• laboratory examination of swabs from the eyes, nose and genitals;
• testing of conjunctival scrapings for DNA and chlamydial antigens.

Taxonomy and phylogeny[edit]

Genus Chlamydia

contains species
of Chlamydia, S. psittaci, S. abortion, S. felis, S. muridarum, S. suis, S. caviae, S. pecorum,
and
S. pneumoniae.
[3] However, there is some debate that some of these species, including
C. felis
, should be placed in a separate genus,
Chlamydophila
, but this is not widely accepted.
[3] C. felis
is closely related to
C. pneumoniae
(causes pneumonia in humans).
, C. trachomatis
(causes chlamydia in humans), and
C. muridarum
(causes pneumonia in mice).
[2] C. pneumoniae
shares 879 orthologs, genes that share a common ancestor, with
C. felis, while
C.
trachomatis
and
C. muridarium
each share 841 orthologs with
C. felis
.
Chlamydia
species are Gram-negative obligate intracellular pathogens with two distinct life stages (see Characteristics section) that are capable of infecting a wide range of mammals and birds worldwide. [3] [2]

Treatment

Treatment of chlamydia in cats is complex therapy with a long course of antibiotics. The treatment regimen is prescribed by a veterinarian - independent treatment without medical advice is unacceptable!

All therapeutic measures can be performed at home if the sick cat does not have lung complications. A sick pet must be isolated from other pets. The remaining pets are given similar therapy, even if they do not have clinical symptoms of chlamydia.

It may take 3-4 weeks for your pet to fully recover. The use of prescribed medications should be continued for about 7-10 days after the symptoms have completely disappeared in order to avoid relapse (recurrence of the disease outbreak). Failure to comply with the terms of treatment leads to the fact that chlamydia develops resistance to drugs. At the end of the course of treatment, a control test for chlamydia is done.

Important: kittens are difficult to tolerate chlamydia; if it is not diagnosed and treated promptly, the disease can cause pneumonia and be fatal.

Medicines for chlamydia

A comprehensive treatment regimen for pathology uses a combination of oral and injection antibiotics, immunomodulators, lactobacilli and local antiseptics and antibiotics.

Antibiotics

Tetracycline antibiotics work best against infection:

• Tetracycline.
• Doxycycline.
• Metacycline.
• Minocycline.

The doctor may also prescribe a fluoroquinolone antibiotic that does not burden diseased kidneys:

• Ciprofloxacin.
• Levofloxacin.
• Enrofloxacin.

Less commonly used:

• Erythromycin.
• Levomycetin.

Important!

When taking tetracycline antibiotics, keep in mind that preparations containing iron, calcium and magnesium can be given either two hours before or after taking the antibiotic.

Lactobacilli

When prescribing antibiotics, it is advisable to give the animal medications containing lactobacilli throughout the course of treatment to prevent dysbacteriosis. If the doctor prescribed antibiotics in tablets, taking lactobacilli is mandatory!

Veterinarians most often prescribe:

• Lactobacterin.
• Linux.
• Lactobifadol.
• Lactoferon.
• Lactobifid.

Eye ointments and drops

Before using ointments and drops, the animal’s eyes are cleaned of pus and dry crusts with a swab soaked in saline solution or chamomile decoction. A different swab is used to clean each eye.

In the complex therapy of chlamydia, tetracycline and erythromycin ointments are used. They are placed behind the cat’s lower eyelid 2-3 times a day for 7-10 days.

Eye drops:

• Levomycetinaceous. Place one drop in each eye up to 4 times a day for a week.
• "Dekta 2". 2-3 drops in each eye for 3-5 days.
• "Leopard". Used to wash affected eyes and relieve pain before treating them with medications.
• "Iris". Used to wash sore eyes from dried crusts. As a treatment, 1-2 drops are instilled into each eye for 3-5 days.

Immunomodulators

Immunostimulating agents are prescribed for a long course of treatment. Veterinarians most often prescribe:

• Immunofan. Injectable drug. There are two application regimens: three injections (1 ml per animal) every other day or once a week for a month.
• Gamavit. Prescribe 1-3 injections (0.1 ml/kg) per week for a month.
• Fosprenil. Injections (0.2 ml/kg) are given once a day for three days.
• Maxidin. Two injections (0.5 ml./5 kg.) per day for two to five days.

In addition to the above medications, the doctor may prescribe general health-improving medications and vitamins.

If the pet refuses to eat, is exhausted or dehydrated, then infusion therapy is performed - administering glucose through a dropper.

Prevention of chlamydia in cats

To protect your pet from such an insidious disease, you need to follow simple rules:

1. Maintain hygiene - wash your hands when returning from the street, thoroughly clean the cat’s area.
2. Do not allow your pet to come into contact with other cats, birds, or rodents. You should especially avoid contact with wild and stray animals.
3. Do not let the animal walk on its own.
4. Strengthening the immune system. If necessary, get vaccinated against chlamydia.
5. Don't skip regular checkups with your veterinarian.
6. Strengthen the cat's immunity.
7. Provide fortification of the animal.
8. Watch your diet. Do not allow people to pick up food on the street.
9. Do not use other people's grooming items (collars, combs, beds) and toys.
10. Do not allow sick pets to be mated. Before mating, test for chlamydia.

Vaccination against chlamydia

Vaccination against chlamydia does not guarantee 100% protection against chlamydia infection, but it reduces the severity of symptoms and makes treatment easier. Vaccinations against this disease have many serious side effects: lameness, loss of appetite, fever, depression, lethargy. Therefore, they are not given as part of the standard vaccination schedule.

Veterinarians prescribe chlamydia vaccines only in cases of high risk of infection: an outbreak of the disease in the area where the animal lives, the need for the pet to be with other cats, in multi-user habitats (shelters, nurseries).

Popular vaccines:

1. Katavac Chlamydia (USA) is the best vaccine against chlamydia.
2. Purevax RCPCh (France).
3. KhlamiKon (Russia).
4. Multifel-4 (Russia).
5. Nobivak FORCAT (Netherlands).
6. Fel-O-Vax (USA).

Vaccination of kittens is carried out if necessary at the age of 8-10 weeks, repeated vaccination is carried out after 3-4 weeks. The duration of immunity after vaccination is 1 year.

Caring for a sick animal

First of all, infected animals are completely isolated from contact with other animals, and contact with people is limited as much as possible. This does not mean that the poor fellow should be left alone without affection and support. It is enough for only one family member to take care of the patient: it is necessary to wear gloves when processing the conjunctival mucosa, so as not to further harm the pet and not to catch an infection.

Due to the use of antibiotics, dysbacteriosis may develop, so during the recovery period, yoghurts and low-fat fermented milk products, which contain lactobacilli, should be added to the diet. Chicken broth or wet food recommended by your veterinarian will help ease the digestion process. It is easier to add powdered tablets to these products.

The room intended for keeping an infected pet must be treated with special disinfectant solutions. Hygiene must be at a high level. The litter box is cleaned more often than before.

When contacting a mustachioed friend, family members should remove outer clothing and clean outdoor shoes to prevent transmission of the parasite. After interacting with the patient, be sure to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and then wipe with an antibacterial solution to completely destroy germs. It is unacceptable to release an animal into the street, where it can infect its relatives.

Is feline chlamydia dangerous for humans?

The risk of infection to a person from a sick cat is small, but it exists. When infected from an animal, a person suffers from chlamydial conjunctivitis. The disease is quickly treated with antibiotic therapy.

At risk:

• Small children;
• aged people;
• people with weakened immune systems.

To avoid getting infected from a sick pet, keep your house clean, regularly do wet cleaning, disinfection, wash your hands after contact with cats, and avoid close contact with the animal, for example face to face.

Question answer

Is it possible to get chlamydia from a cat to a person?

The risk of infection is very small, but it is there. People with weakened immune systems are mainly at risk. The eyes are usually affected. Respiratory and intestinal tracts – isolated cases have been recorded.

How can you tell if your cat has chlamydia?

The danger of spreading infection between cats is that the animal may simply be an asymptomatic carrier of the infection (up to 12% of all cases). In other cases, these are the ocular and pulmonary forms: redness of the conjunctiva, severe swelling, bulging of the third eyelid, active lacrimation, in parallel, discharge from the nose appears, the cat begins to sneeze and rub its muzzle and eyes with its paws. In rare cases, a cough may occur.

The remaining forms (intestinal, gastric and genital) are usually asymptomatic. This disease significantly suppresses the immune system, which gives scope for secondary infections. Owners take their pets to the veterinarian with one disease, and during the course of diagnosis they may find out that the cat also has chlamydia.

How to treat chlamydia in cats?

This infectious disease is successfully treated. There are no treatment templates - only an individual approach to each animal separately and only as prescribed by a specialist. The treatment regimen will depend on whether there are other concomitant diseases and infections. Antibiotic therapy is required (tetracycline antibiotics for a course of up to 3-4 weeks) and symptomatic eye medications to eliminate local reactions. Drugs are often prescribed to support or stimulate the immune system to fight infection.

Is feline chlamydia dangerous for humans?

The disease does not pose a great danger to humans. The likelihood of becoming infected from a sick animal during its treatment and care, subject to all hygiene rules, is very small. If it is transmitted, it manifests itself in the form of chlamydial conjunctivitis, which is quickly and successfully treated with properly selected antibiotics. For pregnant women, the “cat” strain does not pose a danger. It is also not dangerous for the fetus, however, this fact does not negate the rules of personal hygiene when interacting with a mustachioed pet during pregnancy, especially if the animal does get sick.

Can a cat be vaccinated against chlamydia?

Yes, it is possible and necessary, because... After an illness, immunity is developed very weakly or not at all, so not a single animal is immune from re-infection. Vaccinations are given with mono- or polyvaccines only to healthy pets after a preliminary examination by a veterinarian and deworming. Polyvaccines are not very suitable, because revaccination is done every 4 months, and they are significantly more expensive than single vaccines.

The most famous mono-vaccines are Catavak Chlamydia and ChlamyCon. However, continuous vaccination is not recommended because there are a number of side effects. There must be indications (for example, an outbreak of chlamydia in the area where a cat lives, or when there are many cats living in a house, one is sick, and the other needs to be protected).

It is important to note that no vaccine protects a cat from the disease 100%, but it significantly simplifies the course and clinical manifestations.

Author:

Grinchuk Ekaterina Andreevna veterinarian