Evaluation of conventional and molecular technique in detection of nontuberculous mycobacterium from nasal swab in cattle

Abstract

Screening and identification of mycobacterium species from nasal swabs collected from cattle by culture isolation and PCR based test was performed for the detection of pathogen. Nasal swab was collected randomly from 112 cattle for the definite identification of Mycobacterial infection. Polymerase chain reaction was performed on the DNA extracted from nasal swabs targeting a 644 bp hsp65 gene which revealed 24 positive samples by amplifying specific region. Further culture, isolation from the nasal swab in Middlebrooks 7H10 medium shown growth from two samples and confirmed by acid fast staining. The two isolates were identified as Mycolicibacterium smegmatis and uncultured mycobacteria by partial sequencing of hsp65 gene. The prevalence of Nontuberculous mycobacteria by PCR from nasal swab was found to be 21.4% and PCR was found to have high sensitivity and specificity. It is suggested that PCR from nasal swab combined with other screening tests in live animals could be useful for early diagnosis and prevention of human infection from animal contact.