Molecular characterization of Mycobacterium bovis strains isolated from cattle slaughtered at two abattoirs in Algeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bovine Tuberculosis is prevalent in Algeria despite governmental attempts to control the disease. The objective of this study was to conduct, for the first time, molecular characterization of a population sample of <it>Mycobacterium bovis </it>strains isolated from slaughter cattle in Algeria. Between August and November 2007, 7250 animals were consecutively screened at the abattoirs of Algiers and Blida. In 260 animals, gross visible granulomatous lesions were detected and put into culture. Bacterial isolates were subsequently analysed by molecular methods.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Altogether, 101 bacterial strains from 100 animals were subjected to molecular characterization. <it>M. bovis </it>was isolated from 88 animals. Other bacteria isolated included one strain of <it>M. caprae</it>, four <it>Rhodococcus equi </it>strains, three Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) and five strains of other bacterial species. The <it>M. bovis </it>strains isolated showed 22 different spoligotype patterns; four of them had not been previously reported. The majority of <it>M. bovis </it>strains (89%) showed spoligotype patterns that were previously observed in strains from European cattle. Variable Number of Tandem Repeat (VNTR) typing supported a link between <it>M. bovis </it>strains from Algeria and France. One spoligotype pattern has also been shown to be frequent in <it>M. bovis </it>strains from Mali although the VNTR pattern of the Algerian strains differed from the Malian strains.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p><it>M. bovis </it>infections account for a high amount of granulomatous lesions detected in Algerian slaughter cattle during standard meat inspection at Algiers and Blida abattoir. Molecular typing results suggested a link between Algerian and European strains of <it>M. bovis</it>.</p