Survey on presence of Brucella genus bacteria in uterine samples collected from referred dogs to the veterinary hospital of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman

Introduction and Objectives: Brucellosis as a very important universal zoonotic disease is caused by Brucella spp. Dogs, same as many other animals, are considered as a reservoir of this bacteria and can infect human and other animals by shedding this pathogen in their excretions. This is the first investigation to study the reproductive samples related to canine brucellosis in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this study, the existence of the causative agent of Brucella was determined in the uterine samples (70 samples) of dogs attending to the veterinary hospital of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman. The samples were collected and assessed for the presence of Brucella by Real- time PCR. Result: Brucella was identified in 1 out 70 collected samples. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, dogs should be considered as an important source of this zoonotic pathogen. Detection of Brucella in uterine samples emphasizes the need for further investigation of brucellosis in the small animals of this area.

Keywords:

Brucellosis , Brucella genus , PCR , Uterine samples , Dog.