title: Species-specific multiplex PCR for the diagnosis of Brucella ovis, Actinobacillus seminis, and Histophilus somni infection in rams.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infectious ovine epididymitis results in substantial economic losses worldwide due to reproductive failure and culling of breeders. The most common causative agents of these infections are Brucella ovis, Actinobacillus seminis, and Histophilus somni. The aim of this study was to develop a multiplex PCR assay for simultaneous detection of Brucella ovis, Actinobacillus seminis, and Histophilus somni with species-specific primers applied to biological samples for molecular diagnosis of these infections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The multiplex assay was capable of detecting B. ovis, A. seminis, and H. somni DNA simultaneously from genomic bacterial DNA samples and pool of semen samples from experimentally infected rams. The method was highly specific since it did not amplify DNA from other bacterial species that can potentially cause epididymitis in rams as well as species phylogenetically related to B. ovis. All negative control samples were negative in PCR multiplex assay. Urine can be used as an alternative to semen samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The species-specific multiplex PCR assay developed in this study can be successfully used for the detection of three of the most common bacterial causes of ovine epididymitis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinárias, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil.
authors.forename: Valéria S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Moustacas
authors.forename: Teane M A
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Luciana F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Mariana N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Xavier
authors.forename: Custódio A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Érica A
authors.initials: ÉA
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Tatiane A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Paixão
authors.forename: Renato L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000187:Actinobacillosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D000188:Actinobacillus / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D042061:Brucella ovis / Q000235:genetics; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D015661:Pasteurellaceae / Q000235:genetics; D016871:Pasteurellaceae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012756:Sheep / Q000382:microbiology; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial