Microbiological and Molecular Detection of Burkholderia vietnamiensis from Nasal Swabs of Small Ruminants and Soil in Nueva Ecija, Philippines

The genus Burkholderia is a diverse group of morphologically, metabolically, and ecologically gram-negative bacteria. The extent and burden of Burkholderia in the Philippines is still undetermined due to the lack of extensive research on this bacterium and the role and relationship of livestock with the bacterium. This study was conducted to detect Burkholderia sp. in the province of Nueva Ecija, the Philippines. Isolation and detection of Burkholderia sp. were demonstrated and validated by microbiological and molecular assays. Twenty-five (25) nasal swabs from goat and sheep and ten (10) soil samples were randomly collected in the area of Nueva Ecija and subjected to bacterial culture. Detection of the bacteria molecularly conducted through the amplification of the 16s rDNA and Tat-domain protein. In addition, amplified PCR products of the Tat-domain protein gene were subjected to sequencing. Results showed that one (1) isolate from goat nasal swab was positive for both the 16s rDNA and the Tat-domain protein of Burkholderia sp. Sequencing revealed 97.86% homology to Burkholderia vietnamiensis strain G4. Furthermore, sequence analysis showed 95%-97% homology to different strains of B. vietnamiensis. This is the first report of B. vietnamiensis isolated in a nasal swab of goat in the Philippines using microbiological and molecular techniques. Furthermore, high-throughput sequence analysis is recommended to further analyze the B. vietnamiensis isolate in the Philippines.