Abstract

Due to the increasing contact with people, zoonotic diseases related to Psittaciformes have become more worrisome. Common diseases, like chlamydiosis, have high prevalence and the definitive diagnosis is relatively difficult because of the complex physiopathology of the infection caused by Chlamydophila psittaci. Studies about complementary tests for chlamydiosis have become very important and significant. The objective of this study was to evaluate the serum acute phase proteins and immunoglobulins of blue fronted amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva), and blue and gold macaws (Ara ararauna) testing positive and negative for chlamydiosis, using sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The proteinogram allowed visualization of up to 27 proteins in the serum of both species. Important biological differences in the concentrations of acute phase proteins and immunoglobulins of blue fronted amazon parrots and blue and gold macaws, testing positive and negative for chlamydiosis could be observed. Present only in parrots positive for chlamydiosis was the molecular weight 21 kDa protein. Therefore, the serum concentrations of haptoglobin, α1-glicoprotein and the proteins with molecular weight of 275 kDa and 34 kDa were increased in the positive parrots. Within the macaws, an increase in the serum level of the protein with molecular weight of 34 kDa could be noticed. The proteinogram using SDS-PAGE can be consider a good auxiliary method for the diagnosis of chlamydiosis in blue fronted amazon parrots and blue and gold macaws, regards at the molecular weight 21 kDa protein, which can be consider a biomarker for chlamydiosis in A. aestiva.