Abortion in small ruminants is a significant problem in Iraq and causes severe economic losses in sheep farms. Chlamydia abortus causes enzootic abortion in ewes and is associated with reproductive problems in sheep in Sulaimani province – Northern Iraq. During a lambing season in 2017, abortion was widespread among several sheep flocks in different regions of Sulaimani (Kalar, Said Sadiq, and Chamchamal), and C. abortus was one of the causes. Accordingly, we carried out this study to isolate and identify C. abortus in aborted ewes in these regions. We collected 30 samples of aborted fetuses from five herds in which abortions had been observed. The pathogen isolation was done by inoculation into embryonated chicken eggs and conventional PCR was used to identify C. abortus in clinical specimens. C. abortus was identified in one of the 30 aborted fetuses (3.33%) from the Kalar district, and all the remaining 29 samples (96.66%) were found positive to Brucella abortus. The gene ompA encoding the outer membrane protein of C. abortus was sequenced and got the accession number MK643153 in NCBI GenBank. The sequence was named C. abortus strain Sul/2017. Our isolate showed 99.79% homology with Sul/014 (accession No. KY399850) and differed from the latter by two amino acid substitutions at E115K and K259N. The topology of the phylogenetic tree based on the ompA gene showed that the isolate belongs to C. abortus and has a common ancestor with isolates of sheep in Iraq and Tunisia with accession numbers KY399850 and HQ62243, respectively.

Abortion is one of the most critical factors affecting lambing rates and, as a result, sheep farm profitability. It is also significant from a zoonotic viewpoint, in addition to financial losses. In sheep flocks, Campylobacter fetus causes infectious infertility, embryonic death, and miscarriages. The study investigated C. fetus from aborted fetuses and vaginal swab samples collected from sheep flocks in the Sulaimani province by the polymerase chain reaction. Thirty-eight aborted fetuses and 70 vaginal swabs were collected from sheep flocks in three districts of Sulaimani province (Kalar, Said Sadiq, and Chamchamal) from March 2018 to June 2019. The pathogen was identified in clinical specimens using conventional PCR. C. fetus was isolated in 16 of 38 aborted fetuses (42.1%) and 13 of 70 vaginal swabs from aborted ewes (18.6 %). The C. fetus gene 16S rRNAwas sequenced and received the accession number MW694741 in NCBI GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences designated that the C. fetus isolates formed a separate branch displayed the highest similarity and clustered with MN203686.1 and EU773268.1 accessions in a specific clade. A lower degree of affinity of C. fetus was revealed with Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni.

Background: Escherichia coli is an enteric bacterium that is one of the leading causes of gastrointestinal illnesses, particularly when food products, including poultry, become contaminated during slaughter and processing. Microbial contamination of poultry meat is likely in markets with poor sanitary conditions. Aim: This study aimed to molecularly investigate the contamination of poultry wet markets by E. coli and assess the occurrence of selected virulence genes in the Sulaymaniyah Province, Iraq. Methods: We examined 134 E. coli isolates from 210 specimens collected from poultry carcasses, equipment, and workers, as well as from water at Sulaymaniyah wet markets. We extracted genomic DNA using the boiling method and used PCR testing to identify the species-specific uspA gene and two virulence genes (stx1 and eae). Then, we performed partial sequencing on specific samples to conduct phylogenetic analysis using MEGA-11 software. Results: E. coli was found in 116 (55.24%) of 210 samples. The rates of E. coli detection on machine surfaces were the highest (86% in total; 26/30). Determining that stx1 and eae virulence genes were identified in samples positive for uspA. The highest number of 116 uspA-positive samples was found in carcasses (39), machines (26), and tables (23). The overall presence of virulence genes was minimal. In the phylogenetic analysis, the E. coli isolate (Accession PV941795) was closely related to strain lhrS16 and formed a cluster independent of other divergent lineages. Conclusion: The findings of the research demonstrate a critical health hazard in society that needs to be addressed by poultry wet markets by instituting better cleanliness standards.

Background and Aim: Anaplasma platys is a dog pathogen that causes anaplasmosis in various hosts, including humans. It is a rickettsial pathogen that causes cyclic thrombocytopenia in primary canine recipients and is spread by the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus. This study aimed to map the genetic sequences of Anaplasma spp. isolates comparable with those of different global locations and determine the infection status of Pshdar Kurdish shepherd dogs from three regions in Sulaymaniyah province who did not exhibit clinical indications for Anaplasma. Materials and Methods: A total of 75 dog blood samples were collected from the center of the Sulaymaniyah, Dukan, and Ranya districts in the Sulaymaniyah province and subjected to polymerase chain reaction to determine the 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene of A. platys. Results: Only two dogs (2.7%) were positive for A. platys. The 16S rRNA gene of A. platys was sequenced and registered in the National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank with accession number OR467538. With four nucleotide changes, the sequence exhibited 99.72% similarity to strains identified as human infections and those found in recognized tick vectors. Conclusion: We conclude that the blood of Pshdar Kurdish shepherd dogs in the Sulaymaniyah region of Iraq contains a small number of A. platys. Moreover, the phylogenetic tree of the isolated species, A. platys, was significantly similar to other strains of A. platys found worldwide. In the Kurdistan region of Iraq, this study represents the first molecular detection of the 16S rRNA gene of A. platys. Keywords: 16S ribosomal RNA gene, Anaplasma platys, blood, dogs, polymerase chain reaction.

Ensuring meat hygiene is critical for public health, particularly in resource-limited settings where infrastructure and safety standards are suboptimal. This study aimed to assess the hygienic status and microbial contamination at the modern slaughterhouse in Sulaymaniyah Province, Iraq, with a focus on identifying E. coli and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains. Over a six-month period, 250 samples were collected from various critical points, including carcasses, tools, water, and workers' hands. Hygienic practices were evaluated across 16 standard indicators. Microbiological analyses involved, Total bacterial count, conventional culturing, biochemical identification using the VITEK® 2 system, and ESBL screening. The hygienic evaluation revealed severe deficiencies, with 15 out of 16 criteria rated as unsatisfactory. E. coli was detected in 94.86% of all samples, with 100% positivity in samples from workers’ hands, knives, and inner carcass surfaces. Chi-square analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in E. coli presence across most sample types (p = 0.077), although water samples showed significantly lower contamination rates (p = 0.002). Total bacterial count was significantly reduced post-washing (p < 0.05), yet residual contamination remained high. ESBL-producing E. coli was found in 186 of 237 isolates (68.13%), with the highest prevalence in outer carcasses (96.2%), showing a significant distribution across sample sources (p < 0.05). These findings highlight critical lapses in hygiene and the presence of ESBL-producing E. coli, underscoring the urgent need for policy interventions. Enhanced sanitation practices, and staff training are essential to mitigate public health risks and align practices with international food safety standards.

Feral pigeons are the main non-domestic host of zoonotic Chlamydia psittaci, which causes avian chlamydiosis. Although C. psittaci is important, few studies are available in the literature concerning this pathogen as a public health problem in Iraq. It was the objective of this work to use PCR amplification of the C. psittaci species-specific gene and detection in organs, cloacal, and pharyngeal swabs from clinically healthy feral pigeons collected from the Sulaymaniyah area. During the period between July and December 2025, one hundred feral pigeons of both sexes, different age groups from various regions in Sulaymaniyah Governorate were examined for C. psittaci. PCR amplification was performed on DNA extracted from samples, targeting the Chlamydia-specific ompA gene, and results were blasted to confirm positivity. Of 200 tested samples, ten (5%) were real-time PCR positive for C. psittaci; four were from Swabs of the pharynx (2%) then five from swabs of cloaca (2.5%). One (0.5%) of the twenty pooled liver and lung samples was also positive for C. psittaci. Phylogeny of the ompA gene structures showed That's all feral pigeon The isolates were of genotype B; however, it is interesting that a C. psittaci strain from feral pigeons in Argentina in 2024 shared 100% sequence homology with Sulaymaniyah isolates (Sul/1/2025 and Sul/2/2025). This work has provided evidence that the feral pigeon forms a natural reservoir for C. psittaci with potential risks to human health.