Epizootiological and epidemiological aspects of chlamydiosis in Ukraine
Abstract
Chlamydiosis is a common infectious disease in animals that has a significant economic impact on livestock farming and poses a potential threat to human health. The pathogens Chlamydia abortus , Ch. psittaci , and Ch. pecorum cause abortions, infertility, encephalomyelitis, respiratory and eye lesions in various animal species. Of particular concern is the ability of these pathogens to remain latent, persist in the body, and be transmitted to humans, which makes chlamydiosis an important component of the “One Health” concept. In Ukraine, despite the availability of data on sporadic cases, systematic epizoot i ological assessment of the spread of chlamydiosis among animals is limited. The aim of the study was to summarize the results of the diagnosis in animals and humans in Ukraine for the period 2005–2024, to identify patterns of its spread, and to assess trends in morbidity. The study was based on data from state reports of veterinary medicine laboratories, results from the State Scientific and Research Institute of L a boratory Diagnostics and Veterinary and Sanitary Expertise, and statistics from the Public Health Center of the Mini s try of Health of Ukraine. Descriptive statistics, Klopper –Pearson confidence intervals (95% CI), and geoinformation mapping were used for the analysis. Between 2005 and 2024, the veterinary medicine service tested 246 , 387 ser um samples and biomaterials, of which 2 , 775 (BCI, 1.1–1.2%) were positive. The highest number of positive results was recorded in cattle – 1 , 397 (BCI, 48.5–52.2%), pigs – 883 (BCI, 30.1–33.4%), small ruminants – 472 (BCI, 15.6–18.5%), as well as in horses – 29 (BCI, 0.7–1.5%), cats – 13 (BCI, 0.2–0.8%), and dogs – 12 (BCI, 0.2–0.7%). High seropositivity rates were recorded in Vinnytsia , Cherkasy , Kharkiv , Poltava, and Chernihiv regions. Peaks in animal morbidity were observed in 2007– 2008, 2010–2011, 2016–2017, and 2020–2021. Among the human population of Ukraine, 428 , 177 cases of chlamydiosis were registered during the same period, with the annual number of cases decreasing almost 12-fold – from 34 , 149 (BCI, 7.9–8.1%) in 2005 to 2 , 857 (BCI, 0.6–0.7%) in 2024. Women and men aged 20–34 were more likely to get sick (with a higher number of diagnoses among women). Infection trends show that there i s basically no zoonotic transmission of the pathogen from animals to humans. The results obtained indicate a stable, albeit uneven, spread of chlamydia among animals and a gradual decline in incidence among h u mans. Improving the effectiveness of monitoring, expanding diagnostic capabilities, and intersectoral cooperation between veterinary and medical services are key conditions for the prevention and control of this disease in Ukraine.References
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