(ERRATA) A Comparison of Bacteriological Culture, Serology, and Quantitative PCR for Detecting Brucellosis in Ewes with a History of Abortion

Document Type : Erratum

Authors

• Mohammad Javad Aminzadeh ¹
• Hamideh Kalateh Rahmani ²
• Khadijeh Hashemii ³
• Narges Khaleghnia ⁴
• Mohammad Azizzadeh ¹
• Pezhman Mirshokraei ⁵

¹ Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

² Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

³ Division of Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran & Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Research Group, Research Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

⁴ Centre of Excellence in Ruminant Abortion and Neonatal Mortality, School of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

⁵ Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran & Centre of Excellence in Ruminant Abortion and Neonatal Mortality, School of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

10.22067/ijvst.2025.47340

Abstract

The zoonotic disease brucellosis is a serious public health and livestock industry concern. In the present study, we used bacteriological culture, RBT, and qPCR to determine the prevalence of brucellosis in the serum and milk samples of sheep with a history of abortion. Serum and milk samples were obtained from 100 sheep aged 3-5 years. In order to determine the prevalence of brucellosis, a modified RBT was performed on serum samples, Brucella was isolated from milk by bacteriological culture, and qPCR was applied to detect bacterial DNA in milk. The prevalence of brucellosis using modified RBT, bacteriological culture, and qPCR was 32%, 42%, and 44%, respectively. By considering qPCR as the standard, modified RBT showed a sensitivity of 95%, a specificity of 100%, an accuracy of 98%, a PV+ of 100%, and a PV- of 97%. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PV+, and PV- for bacteriological culture were 77%, 100%, 90%, 100%, and 85%, respectively. The agreement between qPCR and modified RBT was 0.959 (95% CI: 0.896-1), between qPCR and bacteriological culture was 0.792 (95% CI: 0.667-0.897), and between modified RBT and bacteriological culture was 0.831 (95% CI: 0.709-0.38). Based on the results, bacterial isolation from sheep milk is not recommended except in specific cases due to its low sensitivity, as well as its time-consuming and hazardous nature. However, the modified RBT can be used as a routine method because of its cost-effectiveness, higher sensitivity, and higher accuracy compared to bacterial isolation. Moreover, qPCR is recommended as the gold standard test for detecting brucellosis in sheep milk, especially in those with a history of abortion.

Keywords

• Brucellosis
• Modified Rose Bengal
• qPCR
• Sheep

Main Subjects

• Theriogenology

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Errata

The Iranian Journal of Veterinary Science and Technology publishes corrections when they are significant to scientific data, record-keeping, authorship, or patient care, whether the error was made by an author, editor, or staff during article processing. Errata also appear in the online version and are attached to files downloaded from ijvst.um.ac.ir.

In the article entitled "A comparison of bacteriological culture, serological and qPCR methods detecting Brucellosis in ewes with a history of abortion" by Aminzadeh M.J., Rahmani H.K., Hashemi K., Khaleghnia N., Azizzadeh M., and Mirshokraei P., published in Vol. 15, No. 4 (2023), DOI:10.22067/ijvst.2023.82928.1268, errors were identified in Figures 1,Figure 2, and Figure 3. These figures have now been replaced with the correct versions (https://ijvst.um.ac.ir/article_44331.html). We apologize to the readers for this error. The article has been updated online to reflect the corrected figures.

Figure 1.PCR product of GAPDH gene. Lane 1: 100-bp DNA size marker (100-1500 bp); Lane 2-8: GAPDH gene; Lane 9: Negative control; Lane 10: Positive control.

Figure 2.PCR product of Brucella spp. Lane 1: 50-bp DNA size marker (50-1k bp); Lane 2-8: Brucella spp.; Lane 9: Negative control; Lane 10: Positive control.

Figure 3.Differentiation of B. abortus, B. melitensis, RB51, and Rev.1 vaccine strains by Bruce-ladder multiplex PCR. Lane 1: 100 bp Plus DNA size marker (100-3k bp); Lane 2: B. abortus; Lane 3: B. melitensis; Lane 4: B. abortus RB51 vaccine strain; Lane 5: B. melitensis Rev.1 vaccine strain.