Prevalence of Pasteurella multocida in Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Marshes of South of Iraq

This study was conducted to investigate the incidence of pasteurellosis in buffaloes in marshes of south of Iraq. Out of 5000 buffaloes, 293 (253 from marshes area, 40 from slaughter house) of different ages and sexes, in a period extended from 25/5/2017 to 24/12/2017, were clinically examined. Nasal swabs and blood samples were taken from alive and slaughtered animals, and tracheal swabs from the later. The clinical signs of pasteurellosis characterized by fever, anorexia, respiratory distress, profuse salivation and throat edema. Selective media and Gram stain were used for diagnosis of Pasteurella spp and confirmed by API 20E which correctly identified positive isolates. All positive PCR confirmed cases as P.multocida resulted a 460 bp species-specific using the KMT1T7 and KMT1SP6 primers. The distribution of clinical Pasteurella multocida infection (28%) was significantly higher (P≤0.05) than non-diseased (14%). At high significant differences (P≤0.05), Pasteurella multocida were isolated from nasal swabs (20.9% and 10%), blood samples (2.8% and 0%) from buffaloes at marshes and slaughter house, respectively. Pasteurella multocida was recorded at 5%fromtracheal swabs in slaughter house. Prevalence of pasteurellosis was significantly higher in May (33%) than in October (9%), ages under 1 year (27.1%)showed higher infection rate than the elderly (16.1%), while male buffaloes showed non-significant higher morbidity than female. It is concluded that buffaloes under 1 year old are more prone to hemorrhagic septicemia caused by Pasteurella multocida. These cases may evolve into outbreaks similar to that occurred in marshes of south of Iraq between 2008 and 2012.