title: Polymerase chain reaction method for leptospirosis, analysis on samples from an autochthon swine population in Sicily, Italy.
abstract: We set a method targeting 16 rRNA gene consisting in a single polymerase chain reaction of 40 cycles which is specific for pathogenic leptospira. Negative polymerase chain reaction results were observed with nonpathogenic Leptospira (serovar patoc) and other bacteria species. By this method a survey on a population of autochthon swine herds had been conducted in Sicily particularly on kidney samples of slaughtered animals and on urine samples from live animals. The analysis showed that a prevalence of leptospira up to 40 % can be observed on these animals. Results on other bovine and ovine herds from the same province in Sicily showed a lower prevalence.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A. Mirri (Izs, Sicilia), Palermo, Italy. mvitale@pa.izs.it
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Marco
authors.forename: Vittoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Curró
authors.forename: Gesualdo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vesco
authors.forename: Santo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caracappa
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D003625:Data Collection; D007558:Italy; D007919:Leptospira / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D015995:Prevalence; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial