Hotspot or blind spot? Fine-scale spatial heterogeneity and methodological bias in <i>Chlamydia psittaci</i> prevalence rate reports from urban feral pigeons (<i>Columba livia f. urbana</i>).

ABSTRACT: Urban wildlife populations often carry zoonotic pathogens that pose considerable public health risks through direct contact with humans. However, disease prevalence in urban settings is generally reported at the city level, which disregards spatial heterogeneity due to local differences in habitat structure or resource availability in the urban landscape. This study therefore examines the fine-scale spatial heterogeneity of Chlamydia psittaci, a generalist bacterium that frequently infects feral pigeons, in Antwerp, Belgium. We collected samples from 377 pigeons at 23 locations and performed qPCR screening for C. psittaci. At the same time, we performed an extensive literature review that includes 20 studies from 29 unique cities globally. Our findings indicate that the preva

SUBMITTER: Kiss VA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12765271 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature