A Study on Mycoplasma agalactiae and Chlamydophila abortus in Aborted Ovine Fetuses in Sistan and Baluchestan region, Iran

Document Type : Short Communication

Authors

1 Department of Theriogenology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Nutrition and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran

3 Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran

4 Zahedan Veterinary Office, Sistan and Baluchestan Provincial Veterinary Service, Iranian Veterinary Organization, Zahedan, Iran

Abstract

Abortion is one of the most important economic issues in sheep flocks. Chlamydophila abortus is an agent of enzootic abortions in sheep. Mycoplasma agalactiae is the main etiological agent of contagious agalactia, which can cause abortion in sheep. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of M. agalactiae and C. abortus among aborted ovine fetuses in Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran. Sheep owners were asked to transfer their aborted fetuses to a nearby veterinary clinic; furthermore, they were taught biosecurity principles. A total of 78 aborted sheep fetuses were collected from all over Sistan region in the autumn of 2015 and winter of 2016. The samples were then transferred in ice to the Anatomy Laboratory of the Veterinary Faculty of Zabol University, Zabol, Iran. The spleen and abomasum contents of the fetuses were sampled under sterile and safe conditions. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect M. agalactiae and C. abortus. The results showed that 24 (30.8%) cases were infected with M. agalactiae. However, infection with C. abortus was not detected in any fetuses. There was no statistically significant relationship between such independent variables as the location of livestock, history of abortion, fetal gender and age, age and parity of ewe, and fetal infection with M. agalactiae. The high incidence of Mycoplasma contamination in this study may be due to inappropriate biosecurity measures and lack of vaccination against agalactia in sheep herds in Sistan region.

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Main Subjects


Article Title [French]

Une étude sur la prévalence de Mycoplasma agalactiae et Chlamydophila abortus chez des fœtus ovins avortés dans la région de Sistan et Baluchestan, en Iran

Abstract [French]

L'avortement est l'un des problèmes économiques les plus importants chez les troupeaux de moutons. Chlamydophila abortus est une cause d’avortements enzootiques chez les moutons. Mycoplasma agalactiae est le principal agent étiologique de l'agalactie contagieuse, susceptible de provoquer un avortement chez les moutons. Le but de cette étude était d'étudier la prévalence de M. agalactiae et C. abortus chez les fœtus ovins avortés du Sistan et du Baluchestan en Iran. Il a été demandé aux propriétaires des moutons d’envoyer leurs fœtus avortés à une clinique vétérinaire située à proximité et les principes de biosécurité nécessaires leur ont été également enseignés. Un total de 78 fœtus de moutons avortés a été collecté dans toute la région du Sistan à l'automne 2015 et à l'hiver 2016. Les échantillons ont ensuite été transférés dans la glace au laboratoire d'anatomie de la faculté vétérinaire de l'université de Zābol, à Zābol, en Iran. Le contenu de la rate et de l'abomasum des fœtus a été échantillonné dans des conditions stériles et.de sécurité. La réaction en chaîne de la polymérase a été utilisée pour détecter M. agalactiae et C. abortus. Les résultats ont montré que 24 cas (30,8%) étaient infectés par M. agalactiae. Cependant, l'infection à C. abortus n'a été détectée chez aucun fœtus. Il n'existait aucune relation statistiquement significative entre des variables indépendantes telles que la localisation du bétail, les antécédents d'avortement, le sexe et l'âge du fœtus, l'âge et la parité des brebis et l'infection fœtale à M. agalactiae. La forte incidence de contamination par Mycoplasma dans cette étude peut être due à des mesures de biosécurité inappropriées et à l'absence de vaccination contre l'agalactia dans les troupeaux de moutons de la région de Sistan.

Keywords [French]

  • avortement
  • Mycoplasma agalactiae
  • Chlamydophila abortus
  • Mouton
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