title: Detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in two different camel species by conventional and molecular techniques.
abstract: Paratuberculosis (John's disease) is infectious and chronically progressive granulomatous disease which affects domestic and wild ruminants. The causative agent is Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP), a slow growing mycobactin dependent acid-fast bacillus. We investigated the detection and frequency of MAP in apparently healthy dromedary and Bactrian camels by insertion sequence 900 (IS900) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and acid fast staining of fecal samples in Iran. Acid fast staining results showed that 6/50 (12.0%) samples of dromedary camels and 4/26 (15.3%) samples of Bactrian camels were suspected to MAP. Although the percentage of positivity for PCR assay of fecal dromedary camel was 8.0%, no bands corresponding to MAP detect in all samples of Bactrian camels. In conclusion, Although the incidence of MAP infection was low, further studies should be conducted to get more information on MAP infection in camel population, especially in areas where camels are close to other ruminants such as dairy cow, sheep and goat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haghkhah
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Abdollah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Derakhshandeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Semnan, Semnan, Iran;
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jamshidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Asghar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moghiseh
authors.affiliation: DVM Students, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Negar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karimaghaei
authors.affiliation: DVM Students, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ayaseh
authors.affiliation: Agriculture Research Centre, Ardebil, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mostafaei
keywords: Acid fast staining; Iranian Camel; Mycobacterium avium; PCR; Paratuberculosis