Detection of Campylobacter fetus in aborted ewes in Sulaimani province by PCR

Abstract

Abortion is one of the most critical factors affecting lambing rates and, as a result, sheep farm profitability. It is also significant from a zoonotic viewpoint, in addition to financial losses. In sheep flocks, Campylobacter fetus causes infectious infertility, embryonic death, and miscarriages. The study investigated C. fetus from aborted fetuses and vaginal swab samples collected from sheep flocks in the Sulaimani province by the polymerase chain reaction. Thirty-eight aborted fetuses and 70 vaginal swabs were collected from sheep flocks in three districts of Sulaimani province (Kalar, Said Sadiq, and Chamchamal) from March 2018 to June 2019. The pathogen was identified in clinical specimens using conventional PCR. C. fetus was isolated in 16 of 38 aborted fetuses (42.1%) and 13 of 70 vaginal swabs from aborted ewes (18.6 %). The C. fetus gene 16S rRNAwas sequenced and received the accession number MW694741 in NCBI GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences designated that the C. fetus isolates formed a separate branch displayed the highest similarity and clustered with MN203686.1 and EU773268.1 accessions in a specific clade. A lower degree of affinity of C. fetus was revealed with Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni.

Keywords

• campylobacter fetus
• abortion
• sheep
• pcr