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Genetic diversity of Chlamydia pecorum detected in sheep flocks from Mexico

  • Bacterial, Fungal and Virus Molecular Biology - Research Paper
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Abstract

Chlamydia pecorum, an obligate intracellular bacterium, is associated with reproductive and systemic diseases in sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, and koalas. The main conditions include polyarthritis, conjunctivitis, enteritis, pneumonia, encephalomyelitis, orchitis, placentitis, and abortion. Even though there are several studies showing that C. pecorum infections are widely spread in the world, in Mexico there are no reports. During 2016, as part of a sheep restocking program in Mexico, sheep were imported from New Zealand. Briefly after their arrival in the herds in the State of Mexico, these sheep presented abortions during the last third of gestation. A total of 62 sheep vaginal swabs that had presented abortion from different municipalities of the State of Mexico were collected. Bacterial isolation was performed using L929 mouse fibroblasts, and molecular identification was achieved by 23S rRNA (Chlamydiaceae family) and ompA gene (species-specific) real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, the 16S rRNA subunit and ompA gene were amplified and sequenced. Seven of 62 samples were positive for C. pecorum by bacterial isolation, 23S rRNA, and ompA gene real-time PCR. The 16S rRNA subunit and ompA gene amplicons were purified and the nucleotide sequence was determined in both directions. The consensus sequences homology search was performed using BLASTn analysis and showed a 100% of homology with the C. pecorum 16S rRNA subunit and 99% with the C. pecorum ompA gene. The population structure analyses using ompA gene demonstrated 15 genetic populations or clusters of 198 sequences from GenBank and our sequences were in a particular genetic structure corresponding to genotype “O.” Herein, we describe the presence of C. pecorum in sheep imported from New Zealand into Mexico. Genetic analysis of the ompA gene showed that the isolates belong to genotype O and are related to strains isolated from sheep, cattle, and koalas.

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Data availability

The 16S rRNA and ompA gene sequences are available in GenBank under the following accession numbers: MT453711, OL604432, OL604433, OL604434, OL604435, OL604436, and OL604437 for 16S rRNA subunit and MT462980, OL606750, OL606751, OL606752, OL606753, OL606754, and OL606755 for ompA gene.

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Funding

This study was supported by SAGARPA CONACyT 2017–2-291311: “Desarrollo y transferencia de pruebas diagnósticas para Lentivirus y microorganismos causantes de aborto: Chlamydia spp., Brucella melitensis, Leptospira spp. y Coxiella burnetii, en ovinos y caprinos” and SEP-CONACYT-ANUIES-ECOS Francia 291241: Epidemiologia y diversidad genética de Chlamydiaceae en rumiantes, industria avícola y aves silvestres: ¿Cuáles son sus implicaciones zoonóticas?”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico

    M. M. Limón-González

  2. Departamento de Ecología de Agentes Patógenos, Hospital General “Dr. Manuel Gea González”, Tlalpan, 14080, Ciudad de México, Mexico

    R. Hernández-Castro & F. Martínez-Hernández

  3. Laboratorio de Bacteriología Intestinal, Hospital Infantil de México “Dr. Federico Gómez”, Cuauhtémoc, 06720, Ciudad de México, Mexico

    J. Xicohtencatl-Cortes

  4. Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 54714, Cuautitlán Izcalli, Estado de México, Mexico

    H. Ramírez-Alvarez

  5. Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad (CENID-SAI), Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones ForestalesAgrícolas y Pecuarias, Cuajimalpa, 05110, Ciudad de México, Mexico

    E. G. Palomares-Resendiz & E. Díaz-Aparicio

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  1. M. M. Limón-González
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All the authors contributed to the study conception and design.

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Correspondence to M. M. Limón-González.

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Limón-González, M.M., Hernández-Castro, R., Martínez-Hernández, F. et al. Genetic diversity of Chlamydia pecorum detected in sheep flocks from Mexico. Braz J Microbiol 53, 605–613 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-022-00682-9

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