Abstract
BackgroundCases of Mycobacterium bovis infection South American camelids have been increasing in Great Britain. Current antemortem immunological tests have some limitations. Cases at post mortem examination frequently show extensive pathology. The feasibility of detecting Mycobacterium bovis DNA in clinical samples was investigated.FindingsA sensitive extraction methodology was developed and used on nasal swabs and faeces taken post-mortem to assess the potential for a PCR test to detect Mycobacterium bovis in clinical samples. The gross pathology of the studied South American camelids was scored and a significantly greater proportion of South American camelids with more severe pathology were positive in both the nasal swab and faecal PCR tests. A combination of the nasal swab and faecal PCR tests detected 63.9% of all the South American camelids with pathology that were tested.ConclusionsThe results suggest that antemortem diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis in South American camelids may be possible using a PCR test on clinical samples, however more work is required to determine sensitivity and specificity, and the practicalities of applying the test in the field.
Highlights
Cases of Mycobacterium bovis infection South American camelids have been increasing in Great Britain
The results suggest that antemortem diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis in South American camelids may be possible using a PCR test on clinical samples, more work is required to determine sensitivity and specificity, and the practicalities of applying the test in the field
The positive and negative extraction control samples were negative in the M. bovis PCR and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) DNA was confirmed in the positive extraction control
Summary
Cases of Mycobacterium bovis infection South American camelids have been increasing in Great Britain. Cases at post mortem examination frequently show extensive pathology. Mycobacterium bovis infection in South American camelids (SAC) in Great Britain (GB) was first detected in a llama in 1999 [1] and the number of herds affected each year has shown an increasing trend [2]. The current ante mortem immunological tests available to detect TB in SACs do not have high sensitivity individually, though in if used in combination sensitivity can be increased [3]. Cases at post-mortem examination frequently show extensive pathology and there is good concordance between pathology and culture for M. bovis [4].
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