Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay test for the diagnosis of Chlamydia psittaci infection in free-ranging koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in southeastern Queensland, Australia.

The IDEIA Chlamydia Test, a commercially available antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test, based on a monoclonal antibody for the detection of chlamydia in clinical specimens, was evaluated in a population of 65 free-ranging koalas in southeastern Queensland determined to be infected with Chlamydia psittaci. Compared to isolation of the organism in tissue culture, the sensitivity of the IDEIA test ranged from 3 to 11%, and the specificity from 90 to 97%. The results indicated that the IDEIA test is unsuitable for use as a diagnostic screening test for C. psittaci in free-ranging koalas.