Brucella canis Group 2 isolated in Argentina

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Microbiology
• Bacteriology
• Genetics

Background:

• Brucella canis is a significant pathogen in canids.
• Understanding the genetic diversity and prevalence of B. canis groups is crucial for disease control.
• Previous studies have not fully characterized B. canis strains in Argentina.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the diversity and prevalence of Brucella canis groups 1 and 2 in Argentina.
• To differentiate B. canis isolates from Brucella suis.
• To assess the genetic diversity of B. canis strains using molecular markers.

Main Methods:

• Classical biotyping of 104 bacterial cultures.
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assays for B. canis confirmation and group differentiation.
• Multilocus Variable-number tandem repeat Analysis (MLVA-16) for genetic diversity assessment.

Main Results:

• All 104 isolates were confirmed as B. canis.
• Only Group 2 (with deletion) of B. canis was identified.
• The Bruce 09 marker within the MLVA-16 assay exhibited the highest genetic diversity among the strains.

Conclusions:

• The study identified a homogeneous population of Group 2 B. canis in the evaluated areas of Argentina.
• MLVA-16 markers are effective tools for detecting genetic diversity within B. canis populations.
• Further research is needed to understand the implications of Group 2 prevalence.