A suggested diagnostic approach for sporadic anthrax in cattle to protect public health

Avberšek, Jana (author), Mićunović, Jasna (author), Cociancich, Vasilij (author), Paller, Tomislav (author), Kušar, Darja (author), Zajc, Urška (author), Ocepek, Matjaž (author), Špičić, Silvio (author), Duvnjak, Sanja (author), Pate, Mateja (author)

The repeated occurrence of anthrax in grazing animals should be a reminder of a widespread presence of Bacillus anthracis spores in the environment. Its rapid diagnosis is critical to protect public health. Here, we report a case of anthrax in cattle that was investigated using conventional and molecular methods. In 2015, six cows suddenly died within three days and the number of dead animals increased to a total of 12 within two weeks. At necropsy, anthrax was suspected. Therefore, spleen tissue samples were collected (from 6/12 animals) and laboratory tests (microscopy, cultivation, and real-time PCR) performed. The results of tissue staining for microscopy and cultivation were in congruence, while B. anthracis real-time PCR outperformed both. Spleen tissues from all six animals were real-time PCR-positive, while B. anthracis was successfully cultivated and detected by microscopy from the spleen of only three animals. Additionally, the ear tissue from another (1/12) cow tested positive by real-time PCR, supporting the suitability of ear clippings for molecular confirmation of B. anthracis. Genotyping of the isolates using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) revealed a common source of infection as all three typed isolates had an indistinguishable MLVA genotype, which has not been observed previously in Europe. The results indicate that molecular testing should be selected as the first-line tool for confirming anthrax outbreaks in animals to ensure timely protection of public health.

• Language: English
• Keywords: anthrax, cattle, diagnostics, multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA), public health, real-time PCR
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: VF - Veterinary Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 6 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 9, iss. 8, art. 1567
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-128750
• UDC: 636.09:616.9
• ISSN on article: 2076-2607
• DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081567
• COBISS.SI-ID: 71460611
• Publication date in RUL: 27.07.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Microorganisms
• Shortened title: Microorganisms
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2076-2607
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523277081

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 01.08.2021

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P4-0092
• Name: Zdravje živali, okolje in varna hrana