Molecular identification and occurrence of bordetellosis among dogs in northern Kerala

Abstract

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a gram–negative bacterium with a broad host range that is most commonly seen in animals kept in close quarters. It is considered to be one of the main causes of the canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC). In this study, 45 dogs with clinical signs suggestive of CIRDC were selected and nasal/ oropharyngeal swabs were collected aseptically. Total DNA was extracted from the swabs and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting alc gene of Bordetella spp. for confirmation. Nine animals (20 per cent) tested positive for the presence of Bordetella antigen. All the dogs tested positive for Bordetellosis were less than one year of age. Most common clinical signs in positive dogs were cough and nasal discharge, and the majority of the bordetellosis positive dogs were from multiple dog houses.