Inter-species transmission of 'Bison type; genotype of map between Boselaphus tragoccunelus (Blue bulls) and small ruminant in India

Abstract

Presence of Mvcobacteriu111 aviunl subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) was investigated in free ranging antelopes using direct nlicro~copy, culture, IS900 peR. IS900 element ofMAP from Nilgai and goats were sequenced and compared to study the variations in this elelnent froBl 2 different species. MAP cultures from Nilgai were typed using standard IS 1311 PCR-REA to study the interspecies sharing of MAP between Nilgai and closed farm herds of goats and sheep sharing same campus. Faecal san1ples were collected from 2 geographical regions (Mathura and Kanpur Dehat districts) separated by 300 km in north India. Of the 42 sanlples cultured, MAP colonies were recovered from 23.8% Nilgai. Of the 10 positive faecal samples, 2 were in 'Super shedder' (> 1000 cfu/g) category and rest were moderate « 10-100 cfu/g) shedders. None of the Ni/gai from Kanpur rural area was positive in culture. The 229 bp fragment targeting specific IS900 sequence was alnplified from DNA isolated from all the positive MAP cultures of Nilgai. Using IS 1311 PCR-REA, MAP colonies were genotyped as 'Bison type'. Goatherds and sheep flock located at the institute are endemic for MAP infection and share 303.52 ha of wastelands in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh with Nilgai MAP strains isolated from goats and sheep were also genotyped as Bison type. Nucleotide sequence of IS900 from MAP Bison type strain (S 5) of goat origin and MAP (B 42) from Nilgai showed difference of 2 base pairs at the 11 th and 12th position (Genbank accession number EU130943).