Zoonotic and other veterinary chlamydiae - an update, the role of the plasmid and plasmid-mediated transformation

The obligate intracellular bacterial genus Chlamydia harbours species with zoonotic potential, particularly C. psittaci, causative agent of psittacosis, and C. abortus, which may lead to miscarriage in pregnant women. The impact of other bird chlamydiae such as C. avium, C. gallinaceae and C. buteonis, or reptilian species such as C. crocodili, amongst others, on human health is unclear. The chlamydial native plasmid, a suspected virulence factor, is present in all currently described 14 Chlamydia species except for some plasmid-free strains. The plasmid is also the primary tool to study chlamydial genetics, a still developing field that has mostly focused on C. trachomatis. Only recently, genetic transformation of C. felis, C. pecorum, C. pneumoniae, C. psittaci and C. suis has succeeded, but existing methods have yet to be refined. In this review article, we will provide an update on the recent developments concerning the zoonotic potential of chlamydiae. Furthermore, we present an overview about the current state of knowledge regarding the chlamydial plasmid in terms of prevalence and significance as a virulence factor. Finally, we give insights into the progress of developing genetic tools for chlamydial species other than C. trachomatis with a special focus on zoonotic and veterinary chlamydiae.