Original scientific paper

Identification of chlamydial strains causing abortions and pneumonia in sheep and goat flocks during trans Himalayan seasonal migration in the northern region of India

Brijesh Bhardwaj ; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India
Rajesh Chahota orcid.org/0000-0002-2827-915X ; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India
Shilpi Gupta ; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India
Priyanka Malik ; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India
Mandeep Sharma ; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

The involvement of chlamydiae in abortion and pneumonitis cases among sheep and goat flocks was investigated during the trans Himalayan seasonal migration in a northern mountaneous region of India. A total of 243 samples from clinical cases of abortions (n = 104) from sheep (n = 55) and goats (n = 49), as well as pneumonia (n = 139) from sheep (n = 58) and goats (n = 81), were tested using order Chlamydiales specific 23S rRNA gene based PCR, and family Chlamydiaceae specific ompA gene based PCR tests. Sampling was done from 4 different tracks during the seasonal migration between high altitude pastures and grass lands in plains. Involvement of chlamydiae was detected in 30.9% and 16.3% abortion cases, and in 12.0% and 18.5% pneumonitis cases in sheep and goats, respectively. The associated species/strains of chlamydiae were identified initially by PCR-RFLP, and then genetic diversity at species/strain level was analysed depending upon variations in the VD2 region of the ompA gene. It revealed that 78.9% abortions and 72.7% pneumonic cases were due to C. psittaci, whereas, 21.1% cases of abortion and 27.3% cases of pneumonia were due to C. abortus, respectively. Two predominantly prevalent strains of C. psittaci and C. abortus were also identified. Thus, this study conclusively identified, for the first time, the endemic species/strains of chlamydiae in this region causing frequent abortions and pneumonitis among migratory flocks of sheep and goats. This will help to adopt specific preventive and control measures to curtail the economical losses to farmers and also chances of zoonosis.

Keywords

abortions; pneumonitis; chlamydiae; migratory sheep and goats; PCR

Hrčak ID:

178592

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/178592

Publication date:

15.3.2017.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 1.994 *