title: Isolation and characterisation of local strains of Chlamydophila abortus (Chlamydia psittaci serotype 1) from Tunisia.
abstract: Chlamydiosis is one of the major diseases that can lead to abortion in ewes. Since 1997, in 5 regions of Tunisia, Chlamydia-related abortions have been reported in 15 sheep and goat flocks. One hundred and sixty-six sera and 50 vaginal swab samples were collected from adult ewes. Chlamydial antigens were detected in 29 (58%) of the vaginal swabs using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) while 9 (18%) were positive by cell culture. Five strains were recovered from 4 different sheep flocks. Monoclonal antibody profiles and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the 16S-23S rRNA spacer region showed that these isolates were C. abortus. Using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), these Tunisian strains were shown to exhibit the same pattern as strains isolated in France.
authors.affiliation: Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie, La Rabta.
authors.forename: Abdessalem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rekiki
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sidi-Boumedine
authors.forename: Armel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Souriau
authors.forename: Jemaa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jemli
authors.forename: Salah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hammami
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodolakis
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002691:Chlamydophila psittaci / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011247:Pregnancy; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D014416:Tunisia; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S