Detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis by conventional and real time PCR in goats of Punjab, India

Abstract

Caprine paratuberculosis is a mycobacterial, chronic, debilitating, progressive, granulomatous, intestinal infectious disease of goats. The aim of this study was to detect Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in blood and fecal samples of goats. Blood and fecal samples were collected from goats (n=200). Acid fast staining was done in fecal samples. The IS900 PCR assay targeting MAP with amplicons of 413bp from both blood and fecal samples and TaqMan real time PCR to further confirm the disease was performed. Nine (4.5%) animals were positive for M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis by conventional PCR. Out of these 9 animals, four were positive for MAP in both fecal and blood samples. However by TaqMan real time PCR, thirteen (6.5%) animals were positive for MAP. Thus the present study reports the prevalence of caprine paratuberculosis in Punjab.