The Use of Polymerase Chain Reaction in the Diagnosis of Dermatophilosis from Cattle, Sheep and Goats in Nigeria

Abstract

Dermatophilosis an economically important disease of livestock, affecting a wide range of domestic and wild animals including man is caused by an actinomycete Dermatophilus congolensis. The disease was previously diagnosed by stained smears of the organism from skin scabs of infected animals and isolation of the organism from the scabs. Polymeraes chain reaction was used for the confirmatory diagnosis of dermatophilosis from isolates of Dermatophilus congolensis gotten from cattle, sheep and goats in the Northern parts of Nigeria. The pair of primers used previously for the diagnosis of the disease in sheep elsewhere was successfully used for the diagnosis of the disease in cattle and goats as well in Nigeria.