First study on molecular epidemiology of caseous lymphadenitis in slaughtered sheep and goats in Duhok Province, Iraq

BACKGROUND: Caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) is a chronic suppurative bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (C. pseudotuberculosis) affecting superficial and internal lymph nodes and internal organs of small ruminants. AIMS: Through the use of molecular methods, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of CLA and its contributing factors as well as the degree of genetic diversity and epidemiological relationships among C. pseudotuberculosis isolates from slaughtered sheep and goats in various districts of Duhok Province, Iraq. METHODS: A total of 18,836 carcasses (15,775 sheep and 3,061 goats) were inspected by veterinarians at slaughterhouses [Duhok-Sumel (2,453 sheep + 627 goats), Zakho (6,000 sheep), Bardarash (1,117 sheep + 379 goats), Amedi (413 sheep + 178 goats) and Akre (5,792 sheep + 1,877 goats)] in Duhok Province for detection the prevalence rate of CLA using molecular techniques. RESULTS: The prevalence of the disease was 0.94% and 1.93% in sheep and goats, respectively. Sheep in Duhok-Sumel and goats in Amedi were at a higher risk of infection than the animals in another location, with a prevalence rate of 4.31% and 6.18%, respectively. Sheep and goats of older age were more susceptible. Females were more susceptible than males in all districts except Duhok-Sumel where the reverse was true. ERIC-PCR analysis grouped the bacterial isolates into 11 different genotypes. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree of partial sequences of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of C. pseudotuberculosis revealed no divergent sequences discovered in this study. CONCLUSION: A strict control program needs to be applied to reduce the entrance of pathogen from neighboring countries.