Molecular Detection of Pasteurella multocida and Mannheimia haemolytica in Sheep Respiratory Infections in Ethiopia

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect Pasteurella multocida and Mannheimia haemolytica directly from clinical and section tissues of acute respira¬tory diseases of sheep. Laboratory specimen consisting of nasopharyngeal swab, tonsil and lung was collected from two types of sheep: Menz local and Black Head Somali sheep in selected areas of Ethiopia. A total of seventy-four specimens were used for the detection of the species directly. The strains of P multocida and M. haemolytica were detected from 20 specimens. Both P. multocida and M. haemolytica were detected by PCR assay in this study. P. multocida was detected from nasopharyngeal swabs (n=3) and lung (n=3); this species, however, was not detected from the tonsil. M. haemolytica was detected from all the three specimens (nasopharyngeal swabs 2, tonsils 2, and lungs 10). Besides, P. multocida capsular type A toxʹ+ and P. multocida capsular type D toxʹ+ were observed from lung and nasopharyngeal swabs. As it was observed in this study, PCR assay when performed on specimens taken directly from clinical and section tissues represents species specific method for detection of P. multocida and M. haemolytica in sheep.