The role of zoonotic chlamydial agents in ruminants abortion.

Background And Objectives: Enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE) is caused by infection of sheep and goats by bacterium. Chlamydial abortion in bovine could occur by and is the causative agent of psittacosis or ornithosis disease in humans and birds. It also causes acute pneumonia in cattle and sheep. The present study aimed at surveying the role of chlamydial agents in ruminants abortion.

Materials And Methods: A total of 117 aborted material samples (Cotyledon, liver, spleen, and abomasal contents of fetus) from 9 cattle and 100 sheep in Shahr-e-Kord and 8 sheep from Bagh-e-Malek were collected from different herds with abortion history during the lambing periods from 2014 to 2016. After DNA extraction, the samples were tested by species-specific PCR to detect and

Results: Out of 117 clinical sample (108 sheep and 9 cattle), chlamydial infection was detected in 66 (56.41%) samples by order-specific primers. A total of 24 (36.36%) and 24 (36.36%) samples indicated positive forms of and infections, respectively. Only 1 (1.5%) was identified from cattle using nested PCR during this study. Among 66 -positive samples, 20 (30.30%) samples with coinfection of and were detected, however, infection of 3 species was not detected in the samples.

Conclusion: Because of the high percentage of chlamydial infection in these regions and probability of coinfection, conducting epidemiological studies on the role of different animals is highly recommended.