Outbreaks of Canine Abortions Caused by Brucella canis in Okinawa Prefecture

Abstract

From September 2005 to January 2006, 16 canine abortions at approximately 50 days of gestation occurredcontinuously at two breeding kennels in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. A gram-negative cocobacillus was isolatedin pure culture from a fetus of a two-year old poodle dam. The isolate was identified to Brucella canis by bacteriological characterization and by the detection of BCSP31 by PCR and PCR-RFLP of omp3l gene. Theresult of tube agglutination tests of the sera for ten aborted bitches and six mated males were positive (1: 160-1: 1, 280). Positive animals (≥times;640) were removed and all the affected dogs of the kennels were orally treatedwith minocycline (10mg/kg) twice daily for 30 days. The antibodies against B. canis turned negative andthe bacteria have been eradicated at the kennels.