title: Isolation and molecular identification of Mycoplasma equigenitalium from equine genital tracts in northern India.
abstract: Although Mycoplasma equigenitalium has been implicated in equine reproductive problems, its prevalence is largely unexplored due to the lack of specific diagnostic tests. To address this limitation, the authors developed and optimized species-specific primer pairs that target M. eguigenitalium rpoB (RNA polymerase B subunit) gene sequences. The specificity of the PCR assay developed in this study was determined using 12 field isolates including the type strain of M. equigenitalium and other Mycoplasma species. In the field study, a total of 122 mare and stallion samples comprising of 50 clinical and 72 random samples were subjected to species-specific PCR assay to detect M. equigenitalium in equine genital tracts. Mycoplasma equigenitalium (MEG) species-specific PCR detected 22.13% positive samples; however, only 9.01% of the samples were found to be positive using the conventional culture technique. The PCR established in this study could be used for rapid, specific and accurate diagnosis of M. equigenitalium strains. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report addressing the development and evaluation of species-specific PCR to detect M. equigenitalium.
authors.affiliation: Graduated from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, 243122, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India;
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nehra
authors.affiliation: Referral Lab on Mycoplasma, Division Bacteriology & Mycology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, 243122, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India;
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rana
authors.affiliation: Division Bacteriology & Mycology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, 243122, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India;
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Viswas
authors.affiliation: Graduated from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, 243122, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India;
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Arun
authors.affiliation: Division of Bacteriology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, 243122, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India;
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (COVs&AH), Pt Deen Dayal Veterinary University (DUVASU), Mathura, 281001, Uttar Pradesh, India;
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Ph.D. Scholar in Veterinary Pathology, Division of Pathology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, 243122, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Prabhu
keywords: Diagnosis; Mycoplasma equigenitalium; Polymerase chain reaction; rpoB gene