A molecular (PCR) survey on abortions caused by Campylobacter spp. in sheep flocks located on the suburb of Tabriz

Campylobacteriosis is an important infectious disease of animals and humans caused by the pathogenic Campylobacter species. A total number of 132 aborted sheep fetuses and related placentas were admitted to the large animal clinic at the University of Tabriz, from October 2010 to March 2011. Tissue samples were collected from several fetal organs including liver, brain, kidney, lung, spleen, heart, stomach fluid and placenta, then separately pulverized under liquid nitrogen and finally stored at -20°C until DNA extraction. Of 132 submissions (fetuses and placentas), 12 (9.09%) and 2(1.51%) samples were diagnosed positive to the Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus and Campylobacter jejuni by the PCR protocol, respectively. No samples were positive for Campylobacter coli.