Determination of the prevalence of Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepi-demicus In aborted fetuses of Mare by Molecular Method

Abortion in domestic animals has always been considered as one of the problems of the livestock industry in all parts of the world, whose causes are numerous and varied. Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus is a gram positive coccus and negative catalase which is one of the most important causes of abortion and loss of  foal during pregnancy in mare. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of  DNA of this bacteria in a number of mare abortion fetuses  in western provinces of Iran. For this purpose, 125 samples of aspirated stomach contents of the aborted fetuses were tested by PCR method to detect the sodA gene. The results of this study showed that 23 (18.4%) of 125 aborted fetuses were infected with Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus. The findings of this study indicate a high incidence of  Streptococcusis  infection and showed that one of the most important factors in abortion in mares that control programs to reduce the economic losses of this bacteria in Iran is necessary. In this study, for the first time, a bacteria in the contents of the stomach of aborted fetuses of mares  were identified as One of the main causes of abortion in Iran.