Serological, Molecular and Histopathological Study of Brucella melitensis Infection in Ewes
Serological, Molecular and Histopathological Study of Brucella melitensis Infection in Ewes
Ihab G. AL-Shemmari1*, Ali Hussein Fadhil1, Mohammed Assad S. Alkabi1, Eman Jawad Jabber2
ABSTRACT
Brucellosis in sheep is a highly contagious reproductive infection that may strike almost any breed of sheep and is observed all over the world, causing abortion, infertility, and massive economic losses. The aims. This study was to identify brucellosis in ewes and to examine the histopathological changes in the uterine tissue of ewes infected with Brucella melitensis. Methods. The study were conducted in Kerbala and Babylon provinces from November 2020 to July 2021, using Rose Bengal test (RBT), culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on blood and uterine tissue samples collected from 139 brucellosis-infected ewes. Results. The PCR identified 37 (26.61%) positive cases of brucellosis, which was less than the 41 (29.49%) instances identified by the Rose Bengal test and greater than the percentage identified by the culture, which was 35 (25.1%). In comparison to the results of the culture test, the polymerase chain reaction test was found to be (89.19%) sensitive, (98.04%) specific, and (95.68%) accurate. However, when compared to the results of the RBT test, the sensitivity was (94.59%), the specificity was (94.12%), and the accuracy was (94.24%). Furthermore, the histological changes of the uterus of the infected ewe exhibited extensive histopathological alterations, including necrosis, mononuclear cell infiltrations (MNC), calcification, fibrosis, and severely constricted blood vessels. Conclusion. The current study concluded that detecting brucellosis in ewes using a combination of molecular techniques and culture yielded the highest reliable results, suggesting that this method might be employed as a rapid regular screening test.
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