Abstract
Serology is primarily used in the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis. Bacterial culture and isolation is the gold standard in diagnosing brucellosis but, like serology, it does not offer complete (100%) diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been suggested to offer better specificity and sensitivity. In this study, we evaluated the performance of Brucella abortus species specific (BaSS) PCR directly from different samples in the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis in naturally infected cattle in KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa with known infectious status from culture. The BaSS PCR had a low diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) of 70%, but was able to identify vaccine strains using abomasal fluid from aborted foetuses and detect Brucella DNA from decomposing samples. The best sample for the BaSS PCR was abomasal fluid.
Highlights
Bovine brucellosis is a disease of cattle usually caused by Brucella abortus (Bishop, Bosman & Herr 1994)
Brucella status was determined by bacterial culture and isolation of samples from milk (n = 8), abomasal fluid from aborted foetuses (n = 35), uterine discharges (n = 2), hygroma fluid (n = 1) and lymph nodes (n = 2) submitted to Allerton Provincial Veterinary Laboratory (APVL) between 2009 and 2012 from seropositive cattle from commercial and communal herds located in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa
Brucella abortus species specific (BaSS) Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) lacks diagnostic sensitivity compared to serological tests but can be used effectively to confirm wild-type or vaccine-derived B. abortus during the waiting period for culture identification from abomasal fluid from aborted foetuses or from decomposed samples
Summary
Bovine brucellosis is a disease of cattle usually caused by Brucella abortus (Bishop, Bosman & Herr 1994). Brucella abortus biovar (bv) 1 causes 90% of infections in cattle, while 10% are because of biovar 2 in South Africa (Bishop et al 1994).
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