Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Microbiology 2008-3289 7 1 2015 10 13 18 22 EN Masoud Ghorbanpoor Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran. Naghmeh-Moori Bakhtiari Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran. Mansoor Mayahi Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran. Hana Moridveisi Graguated student of Veterinary Faculty, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran. 2015 10 12 2015 10 12 Background and Objective: Chlamydophila psittaci is a lethal bacterium that causes endemic avian chlamydiosis, and respiratory psittacosis. Laboratory diagnosis of Chlamydophila psittaci is difficult by culture. This study was design to investigate the presence of Chlamydophila psittaci in collected pharyngeal swabs from asyptomatic pigeons by PCR. Materials and Methods: Pharyngeal samples from pigeons with no symptoms of disease (n=280) were collected during hot and cold seasons in different parts of Ahvaz. DNA was extracted from specimens and subjected to PCR targeting pmp genes and 16s-23s rRNA intergenic spacer of Cp. psittaci and chlamydiales specific primers. Results: Of 280 samples 2 (0.7%) harbor were positive for chlamydiales (16s-23s intergenic spacer) and Cp. psittaci specific genes (pmp gene). Conclusions: In this research the pigeons were asymptomatic carriers for Cp. psittaci in their respiratory discharges. These results suggest that Cp. psittaci infection of human can occur in very close and continuous contact with pigeons. https://ijm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijm/article/view/137 https://ijm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijm/article/download/137/514