Molecular epidemiology of Campylobacter Fetus in aborted fetuses of Baluchi sheep in Sistan region

Abstract

Campylobacter is one of the main bacterial causes of ewe abortion throughout the world. Campylobacter infections are now considered as zoonoses. The objective of this study was an investigation of Campylobacter fetus prevalence among aborted ovine fetuses in the Sistan region (north of Sistan and Baluchestan province). In the present study, spleen and abomasum content samples were obtained from 78 aborted lambs of Baluchi sheep. The samples were examined for campylobacter contamination using PCR method. The overall prevalence of campylobacter infection was 7.7%. The prevalence of infection in fetuses aged three months and under were significantly higher than that in fetuses older than three months. The result of this study showed that C. fetus should be considered as one of the infectious causes of abortion among sheep flocks in Sistan region.