Matope Gift, Bhebhe Evison, Muma John Bwalya, Skjerve Eystein, Djønne Berit
Department of Paraclinical Veterinary Studies, University of Zimbabwe, PO Box MP 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.
BMC Res Notes. 2009 Dec 22;2:261. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-2-261.
Bovine brucellosis caused by Brucella abortus is endemic in most large commercial and smallholder cattle farms of Zimbabwe, while brucellosis in other domestic animals is rare. The diagnosis of brucellosis is mainly accomplished using serological tests. However, some Brucella spp. have been isolated from clinical cases in the field and kept in culture collection but their biochemical profiles were not documented. We report biochemical profiling and AMOS-PCR characterization of some of these field isolates of Brucella originating from both commercial and smallholder cattle farming sectors of Zimbabwe.
Fourteen isolates of Brucella from culture collection were typed using biochemical profiles, agglutination by monospecific antisera, susceptibility to Brucella-specific bacteriophages and by AMOS-PCR that amplifies species- specific IS711. The results of the biochemical profiles for B. abortus biovar 1 (11 isolates) and biovar 2 (2 isolates) were consistent with those of reference strains. A single isolate from a goat originating from a smallholder mixed animal farm was identified as B. melitensis biovar 1. The AMOS-PCR produced DNA products of sizes 498 bp and 731 bp for B. abortus (biovar 1 and 2) and B. melitensis biovar 1, respectively.
We concluded that the biochemical profiles and AMOS-PCR characterization were consistent with their respective species and biovars. B. abortus biovar 1 is likely to be the predominant cause of brucellosis in both commercial and smallholder cattle farms in Zimbabwe.
由流产布鲁氏菌引起的牛布鲁氏菌病在津巴布韦的大多数大型商业和小型农户养牛场中呈地方流行，而其他家畜的布鲁氏菌病则较为罕见。布鲁氏菌病的诊断主要通过血清学检测完成。然而，一些布鲁氏菌属菌株已从现场临床病例中分离出来并保存在培养物保藏中心，但它们的生化特征尚未记录。我们报告了从津巴布韦商业和小型农户养牛业的一些现场分离的布鲁氏菌的生化特征分析和AMOS-PCR鉴定。
使用生化特征、单特异性抗血清凝集、对布鲁氏菌特异性噬菌体的敏感性以及通过扩增物种特异性IS711的AMOS-PCR对培养物保藏中心的14株布鲁氏菌分离株进行分型。流产布鲁氏菌生物变种1（11株）和生物变种2（2株）的生化特征结果与参考菌株一致。从一个小型农户混合养殖场的一只山羊中分离出的单一菌株被鉴定为羊布鲁氏菌生物变种1。AMOS-PCR分别为流产布鲁氏菌（生物变种1和2）和羊布鲁氏菌生物变种1产生了大小为498 bp和731 bp的DNA产物。
我们得出结论，生化特征分析和AMOS-PCR鉴定与其各自的物种和生物变种一致。流产布鲁氏菌生物变种1可能是津巴布韦商业和小型农户养牛场中布鲁氏菌病的主要病因。
