Molecular detection of Ornithbacterium rhinotracheale and Newcastle disease virus in ostriches of Isfahan province

With the purpose of identifying Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT) and Newcastle disease virus in acute death of ostriches, 40 tracheal samples from 22 ostrich farms with acute mortality were collected from all over the Isfahan province with the history recorded. After RNA and DNA extraction from tracheal tissue, the cDNA was prepared using reverse transcriptase kit. The extracted DNA was evaluated for amplification of 16srRNA gene of ORT using specific primers and cDNA was amplified by Newcastle disease specific primers based on M gene. The 16srRNA gene was amplified in positive control and a 784 bp fragment was reached but it was not amplified in any of the collected samples. Furthermore, in 24 of the 40 collected samples (60%) a 1097 bp fragment of the M gene of Newcastle disease virus was amplified. From a total of 22 evaluated flocks with acute mortality, 22 flocks (68.18%) were infected with Newcastle disease virus. By considering the results of this study, currently there is no infection with ORT in ostrich flocks of Isfahan province, but Newcastle disease virus has the main role in acute deaths in ostrich farms.